SITL 1: The Parental Bragfest

This hymn, Stepping in the Light, came to mind as I was thinking about parents being a light and a lamp, because we can't be a light and a lamp for someone else unless we're stepping in the light ourselves...

The first verse reminds me Whose example I should follow and Whose example should shape my life...

Trying to walk in the steps of the Savior,
Trying to follow our Savior and King;
Shaping our lives by His blessed example,
Happy, how happy, the songs that we bring.

If I don't stay focused on Christ as the example and Christ-likeness as the goal, a little "peer pressure" from other parents can easily shift my priorities to more worldly goals.

Here's how it happens.  Someone will casually ask "how are your children doing?"  And The Parental Bragfest begins!  Each parent in turn will rattle off the lastest greatest achievements and accomplishments of their offspring.  So of course, you dive in and take your turn, and come away feeling rather proud and successful.  After all, it takes a great parent to raise a brilliant, talented, ambitious, successful child like yours!

Admit it, we like that proud successful feeling... we like impressing others.  And we'll push our children to achieve and accomplish whatever's fashionable.  If the guys at the office are focused in on SAT scores, you make a mental note to see about Junior's score - and maybe get him some tutoring to bring it up a bit!  Now wasn't it easy for a little "peer pressure" at the office to change our priorities as parents?

Sometimes our thinking gets a little warped by "peer pressure", and we begin to think that the best thing we can do for our children is LEAD them and SHAPE them to achieve, achieve, ACHIEVE!

But that's not true.  The best thing we can do for their children is FOLLOW after Christ and SHAPE our lives by Christ's example.

The chorus says it's "beautiful" to walk in the steps of the Savior.  Want a beautiful life?  Follow Christ.  Want a beautiful family?  Follow Christ.

How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior,
Stepping in the light, stepping in the light.
How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior,
Led in paths of light.

If we do this, we may not have the pride of rattling off a long list of achievements at the next Parental Bragfest, but we will have something better..... joy.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.  3 John 1:4