YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN

Part 6 - On The Way

These days to be away from your home is almost more common than to be in your home. We’re sort of in that holding pattern now where our older kids have not really gotten involved in a million activities yet (Lord, willing that won’t happen either). Our younger kids are too young to be in sports teams and in dance classes. But a day is coming when I know we will be pulled in many different directions at once. When that day does arrive, what will be our theme as we travel here and there? Will we simply pass the time listening to the radio and watching DVDs in the van? Will we simply go to the store to buy groceries or visit the restaurant simply to fill our own bellies and walk away? Or is there something... anything... we can do as we’re going to one place to another to help enlarge the kingdom and build a legacy for our kids to follow?

Look for Opportunities... they’re there!
Shelly told me once after she returned from the grocery store, “I’m an idiot.” “Why?” I asked. “Because I just realized I missed an opportunity to share Christ with an older guy at the store. He had waited for me to load up all of my groceries in order to help. I told him that he didn’t have to and he replied. ‘I have all day.’ How could I have not caught that as an invitation to tell him about Jesus when he was waiting for me and clearly was not in a hurry?” I told her that she was a horrible person and she should be ashamed of herself. No, I’m kidding. We all do that right? We realize when it’s too late that we had a chance to do something and didn’t act upon it. If your kids are with you for example at the grocery store then what a better time to show them by example how to love others. How to look out for the needs of others. Another time, Shelly saw a man standing on the road asking for money. With kids in tow she went out of her way to go buy the man some lunch and then take it to him. The kids knew something was up and anxiously awaited her explanation. “Why did you do that mommy?” “Because he was hungry and didn’t have any money to buy lunch.” Silence... as they contemplated that action. I guarantee you that memory will stick with one or all of them the older they get. Living life like that stains a child deeply, and Lord willing, they won’t quickly recover.

Foster a missional lifestyle
It’s easy for church folk to see missions as something we give money to so other people can travel across the sea and tell other people about Jesus. However, missions is a calling for every believer. If missions was accomplished simply by giving money to the cooperative program or to Lottie Moon or to a host of other mission groups then we’d be done! We would have accomplished our mission ministry and we could pat ourselves on the back. One day mission work will cease. When Christ returns missions will stop. Until then it is our duty to not only give our money but also to walk neck deep in this life called missions. Do you show your kids everyday that you support a lifestyle of missions? Our goal is to... but honestly we fail here... alot. Here is an idea that we’ve kicked around but for some reason just have not been able to pull off yet. We give our kids each a dollar and ask them to figure out what they can give that dollar towards. In addition we encourage them to find out ways of multiplying that dollar into two, three, four... etc. Then we ask them to go around (with us of course) and speak to our neighbors and together we have an opportunity to 1) meet our neighbors, 2) raise their awareness for whatever we are supporting, and possibly 3) share Christ with them. The naysayers out there will say, “It’s only a dollar. What good is that?” I’ll tell you the good. One day when they get older and have their ‘own money’ then they will remember that mom and dad taught them how to share what little they had with others who do not have and that one dollar will turn into a lot more.

Other activities...
Other ways to show your kids that they live in a world bigger then themselves is to have them help serve at church, at a soup kitchen, thrift store, community cleanup day, neighborhood party, etc. Remember, we are laying a foundation here. It won’t be built overnight and the height of it is unlimited.

(next time: Encourage your kids’ growth... it goes a long way!)

Read More:
Part 1 - The Importance of a Legacy
Part 2 - Preparation
Part 3 - The Struggle
Part 4 - At Home
Part 5 - Share the Love