Originally written: October 28, 2015
There is pressure everywhere these days to have the smartest, most athletic, most beautiful, most talented child in the world. I catch flak all the time that my kids aren’t already in organized sports (they just turned four!). Everywhere I look, I feel the pressure to be already preparing my children to be valedictorians. Then Brian steps in (ever the voice of reason) and reminds me that they are children!
Most importantly, though, we are constantly having to be reminded that they are children of God!
My friend Alison sent me this link the other day, and it was such an answer to prayer. It reminded me that when my children get to the gates of heaven, He is not going to ask them how many A’s they had on their report card or whether or not they were the all star running back on the football team. Mind you, those things are not bad—in fact, done in the proper perspective (giving your best to glorify God), those things are fabulous. However, those goals as the end result are not. I love this article because it reminds me of the true purpose of living in a world full of sin and the constant temptation to live for me--to live for my recognition and my own glory rather than that of the glory of God and to be a light to the rest of the world. Don’t get me wrong—anyone who knows me at all, knows I am a competitor at heart. I don’t believe in giving everyone a trophy, and as a coach, I probably can't describe my feelings on losing without getting red in the face. However, this article reminds me that unfortunately sports are king in this world, and the attitude with which we approach a game may very well indicate the very attitude with which we will thereby approach life. I encourage you to read the whole article--not just the first few paragraphs:
http://renee-robinson.com/dear-boys-why-i-wont-tell-you-im-proud-of-your-home-run/
I loved the way we talked about it on Sunday at church—it is more the pursuit of holiness that we should be after. When I get to the gates of heaven, the Lord is not going to reflect on how I perfected Charley’s jump shot but on how I molded and trained up her soul.
I pray even now for protection from the temptations of this world because I know it will be a daily struggle. Let's just say I've got a long way to go from reflecting everything in this article.
But I am thankful for the reminder of who ought to be King of our lives.