Hey Parents!
When the disciples and other followers of Jesus gathered together on the day of Pentecost, they were accused of being drunk (Acts 2:1-15). We know they weren't drunk; but all those who were there that day had been filled with the Holy Spirit, which changed the way others saw them. Some may have been concerned about how others perceived their behavior. But these believers had been waiting for this moment, and they weren't going to let anything stop them from receiving the Holy Spirit! What they experienced that day was far more important than worrying about what society might think.
When we state that we are Christian, it isn't just a label that we put on. It is an indicator of what our lives will be - of how we will act, even if our behavior seems strange or uncool to others. So we sit with the outcasts, help those in need, and show kindness to those who insult and persecute us. We don't do these things so that others will know who we are; we do them because that is who we are. We don't do these things to influence what others think; we do them because that is what Christ calls us to do.
Do you know how special you are? There is no one else like you! Not one of the 7.5 billion people on this planet has your fingerprint. You are unique in all the world. More important, you are created in the image of God, who loves you more than you can imagine.
In today's society we are constantly bombarded with the opinions of our peers. On social media or in person, everyone has something to say. How do we process all of these opinions and stay true to ourselves? How do we even find our true selves in a world that has its own ideas about who we should be?
Caring too much about what others think can tempt us to put on a mask so that few people ever get to see who we really are. And in our pretending, we too might lose sight of who we are. If we could stop worrying about what others think, imagine how much more freer we would be. We would be able to do what we really wanted and to become the person God sees in us. Let's be ourselves, not who others want us to be. Paul says, "I am not trying to please people... If I were doing that, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10 CEV).
Ask your child...
What does the life you live say about who you are?
How has taking on the name "Christian" transformed the way you live?
Challenge your child...
Today, I challenge you to stop living in fear of judgment and to live in the grace that Christ freely lavishes on you.
Prayer...
Father, help me to stop living in the fear of judgment and live only in your grace. Amen.
When the disciples and other followers of Jesus gathered together on the day of Pentecost, they were accused of being drunk (Acts 2:1-15). We know they weren't drunk; but all those who were there that day had been filled with the Holy Spirit, which changed the way others saw them. Some may have been concerned about how others perceived their behavior. But these believers had been waiting for this moment, and they weren't going to let anything stop them from receiving the Holy Spirit! What they experienced that day was far more important than worrying about what society might think.
When we state that we are Christian, it isn't just a label that we put on. It is an indicator of what our lives will be - of how we will act, even if our behavior seems strange or uncool to others. So we sit with the outcasts, help those in need, and show kindness to those who insult and persecute us. We don't do these things so that others will know who we are; we do them because that is who we are. We don't do these things to influence what others think; we do them because that is what Christ calls us to do.
Do you know how special you are? There is no one else like you! Not one of the 7.5 billion people on this planet has your fingerprint. You are unique in all the world. More important, you are created in the image of God, who loves you more than you can imagine.
In today's society we are constantly bombarded with the opinions of our peers. On social media or in person, everyone has something to say. How do we process all of these opinions and stay true to ourselves? How do we even find our true selves in a world that has its own ideas about who we should be?
Caring too much about what others think can tempt us to put on a mask so that few people ever get to see who we really are. And in our pretending, we too might lose sight of who we are. If we could stop worrying about what others think, imagine how much more freer we would be. We would be able to do what we really wanted and to become the person God sees in us. Let's be ourselves, not who others want us to be. Paul says, "I am not trying to please people... If I were doing that, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10 CEV).
Ask your child...
What does the life you live say about who you are?
How has taking on the name "Christian" transformed the way you live?
Challenge your child...
Today, I challenge you to stop living in fear of judgment and to live in the grace that Christ freely lavishes on you.
Prayer...
Father, help me to stop living in the fear of judgment and live only in your grace. Amen.
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