Recent Devotionals

As parents, we try to set good examples for our children. But, as the saying goes, perception is reality. How our children perceive us is a pretty accurate picture of who we are.

When my child’s school had a parents’ night, the children drew pictures (unsigned) of their parents engaged in a typical activity. Parents were asked to circulate during the evening and put their name beside the picture they thought their child had drawn of them.

I was a nervous as I began to look at the pictures. Some moms were playing tennis, some were cooking, one mom was reading a book, and one mom was playing with her kids in a circle (I was jealous of that one). One picture, though, really stood out. It was a mom in a big SUV driving with four children. She was facing backwards screaming at the kids! My heart sank—I had a large SUV and I had four children.

With a heavy heart, I wrote my name by that picture. On the way home I could hardly speak. I walked into our house and my daughter ran up and said, “Did you see your picture?” I nodded, and with lips quivering said, “Yes—I was the mom driving the car, right?” “No!” my daughter said. “You were the mom holding the book. It was the Bible!”

I jumped in my car and drove as fast as I could back to the school. I ran in and erased my name off the “Screaming Mom” picture and put my name next to the “Bible-reading Mom.”

I learned a lesson that day. When children are little, they cannot read the Bible, but they can read our lives. We speak volumes about Jesus by the way we communicate love and by how we show them that we treasure them. In the gospel of John, Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. “ And you know what? It will prove it to your children as well.

Heavenly Father, May I always remember that my children see Jesus in me when I am fully present with them. May they always know how valued they are because of You in me. Amen.