Good Morning Friends,
Today's verse from Steve is just a few words but is very significant.
A few messages ago, I included the Native American Legend of the two wolves. Steve's message today prompts us to look again at that message.
Remember - the grandfather telling his grandson of the two wolves living and at battle within each of us - one of anger and negativity and one of goodness and love. The grandson asks which one wins the battle and the grandfather replies, "The one you feed."
What does your parenting style "feed" your kids? We talk all the time about catching your kids doing something good. An interesting fact about most kids - they will exhibit the kind of behavior that gets the most attention. If we are responding more to their bothersome or negative behavior, that is what they will continue to do. If we respond more to their pleasing and positive behavior, that is what they will do.
It is so easy for we humans to find fault in others - because of our sinful nature, we seem to need to bring down others to help lift ourselves up? When you read that, can you see how backwards that is? The best thing we can do to lift ourselves up is to encourage and praise and take joy in those around us.
When we encourage our kids , so much positive can result. They learn that they can overcome obstacles. They learn that they can make mistakes and the world won't end. They learn they can talk to their parents without the oppressive threat of criticism. They learn how to encourage their kids when they become parents. But mostly, as Paul writes in today's verse - they learn how much value we put on building them UP! (rather than tearing them down)
Parenting is not a one hour or one day or one week or one year undertaking. It is a lifetime journey of building. When we "feed the angry wolf", we are destroying part of what we have worked so hard to build. Why would we ever do that?
Let's return to 1 Corinthians 13 once again: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
When we encourage our kids, we live those 3 verses. One of the most obvious ways we can show our love to our kids is to build them up every day. We love them. We like them. We are proud of them. God loves them and there is nothing we cannot overcome with God's help.
Love your kids,,
Scott
LOVE ONE ANOTHER (Day 42) > > > So what?
1 Thessalonians 5:11a
So encourage each other and build each other up…
Whenever you find a “so” in Scripture, you need to back up a little bit to find out what the passage is a result of. In this case, the answer is a biggie: God has shown us His mercy rather than His anger…and Christ died for us so that we could live with Him forever in Paradise!
So…
Encourage each other and build each other up! As Christians, we have so much to be thankful for, and while the issues of life in general and family life specifically can easily bring us down, the realities of the Gospel are more than enough to bring us right back up. However, we need to help each other do that! God don’t make any of us to live on our own…He designed us to live as a family.
So…
The next time you see a family member feeling down…encourage them! Build them up! Tell them how much you love and appreciate them and remind them that God does, too!
APPLICATION: Take turns encouraging each other and building each other up. Point out what you love and appreciate about one another, and then seek the Lord’s help to do that on a consistent basis.
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