“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV
Having seen my friend, Amanda, struggling out on the course of the ultra she and I were both running Saturday, I was happy to later learn she had gritted it out and finished her 100k race. Knowing how difficult this was, I messaged her and asked "What made you keep going?" To which she replied, "There were times throughout the race, especially between miles 35-40 that I had seriously entertained quitting. The pain was tremendous and just thinking of the number of miles still to complete seemed overwhelming. And then I thought about my 3 children. They were waiting for me to come back and tell them I had completed the race. At that moment I knew I couldn't quit... my kids look to me every day as a witness for Christ. I didn't want them to see me quit. Even when life gets tough I have to keep the faith and show them Who will get them through life's struggles if they stay focused on Him.” Wow!
And while we all know our children are watching us, do we ever, like Amanda, stop to truly think about the long lasting consequences of our actions? You see, no matter what you and I tell our children to do, our children will usually do as we do instead. Which is why you and I, as parents, must live our lives following "the example of Christ" so that when our children follow us, they will be following Him. Does that mean we will always make the right choices or be ideal role models? Of course not. But it does mean we must never give up in our pursuit to be like Christ - consistently and committedly striving for perfection each and every day.
So if you’re a parent, don’t lose hope if you're not perfect. None of us are my friend. But may we never let that stop us from trying to be so that our kids will do the same. After all, if we want our children to know the Lord and continually strive to grow in faith and righteousness, we must be their examples to follow.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the reminder that our children are always watching us and will most likely follow in our footsteps. With that knowledge, may each of us strive to be more like You, the perfect Parent, with every step we take. It’s in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
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