Today I learned a lot of things. I was invited to attend a local homeschooling conference which featured a family who has in recent past become well known for their home and family management systems. They are a beautiful Christian family with 8 children. I believe they have a great heart for the things of the Lord and have seen fruit as a result of their focus on servanthood as a family.
As I listened to the wife speak (she spoke on scheduling, chores, controlling anger and depression, and loving your husband) I was so encouraged. She was very real. Very transparent. She shared her testimony and what the Lord had taught her through her life's adventure with humility and grace. I desired to somehow be like her, even though our situations are so vastly different. Her presentation encouraged me to draw closer to my God and my family.
Her husband on the other hand spoke very differently. He shared his experiences but with Pharisaical pride. With the attitude of "these are the things we have done and these are the things you must do. If you don't you will lose your children and you will have no family peace". He was judgemental, condemning, condescending and scary.
Pita and Cupcake went to youth classes. The presentations by their children, from what I have learned, were similar to that of their fathers, proclaiming the things that were wrong for them, were wrong for everyone. The teaching was so harsh that it brought fear to Pita, to the point of tears.
The dear friend who invited me to the conference was totally shaken by what she heard and was not able to stay for the rest of the day. She is a beautiful, mature Christian woman who was "pummelled" by the legalistic position that was presented.
I'm not typing all of this to condemn the family. The Lord has done good things through their ministry. But it got me looking at my life...and my walk.
Am I boasting in the things I have accomplished in my home and life as gospel? Am I presenting our lives as Christians as a list of do's and don'ts? Do my children believe that they must measure up?
My faith is grace based. There is nothing I could do to earn God's favour. It says in 1 John 3:1 that God has lavished His love on us and calls us His children. LAVISHED. No where does it say He measured it out according to our good works, our neat clothes, our spotless presentation. LAVISHED.
I pray as I live and breathe that my works will never speak louder than my God. For it is My God who has poured Himself out for me that I might experience the greatest gift I'll ever receive...GRACE. May I live it! May I give it! May I crave it!
