Exemplify

I started singing a song that mama used to sing to me when I was little:

Los niños son de Cristo                                  Children are from the Lord
Él es su Salvador                                            He is their Savior
Son joyas muy preciosas                                They are precious jewels
Comprolas con Su amor                                Bought with His love

Joyas, joyas, joyas                                        Jewels, jewels, jewels
Joyas del Salvador                                       Jewels of the Savior
Que estan en esta tierra                               That are on this earth
Cual luz y dulce amor                                  Such lights and sweet love

Los niños son tesoros                                  Children are treasures
Pues que del cielo son                                 For they are from heaven
Luz refulgentes                                           Brilliant lights
En horas de aflicción                                  During times of sorrow

Joyas, joyas, joyas                                     Jewels, jewels, jewels
Joyas del Salvador                                    Jewels of the Savior
Que estan en esta tierra                            That are on this earth
Cual luz y dulce amor                               Such lights and sweet love

And a snapshot of the kiddos that I take care of at work just came into my head. I opened my eyes and the tears just started to well up as I stopped singing...

Many of the kids at work say things that to me at my age are unmentionable. It leaves me in awe and I can't help but wonder where they get those words and habits from. Some kids bluntly mention how mom and dad let them do this or that. Mom and dad let them use this word, so why can't the Center let them use it during the day?

My tears swelled of sadness. Just thinking of how completely corrupted this world is. We are all born sinners, yes, even I. Yet, the Lord has offered salvation and some that know of it, in this specific case some parents, don't take hold of it. Their lifestyle then is reflected in the speech and behaviors of the little ones who have been "taught" that it's ok to speak in such inappropriate ways. At the Center we stop the kids from speaking with bad language right when we hear it and chat with them face-to-face to encourage not using that type of language, to not sing that song because it's completely inappropriate, to treat others nicely and with respect... yet when the day's over they go back home to the same mundane life of mom and dad's "exemplary" lifestyle and they come back the next day with a new inappropriate word, another inappropriate song that mom sings. As counselors (so called at work) we inform the parents of the child's wrong language usage and that's all we can do... the parent can either correct or apathetically let it slide...

I ponder on how parents have such a gift of raising a child up and how much more of a privilege, an eternal treasure, it is to raise the child up in the Lord's ways. How blessed that mother and father are in the Lord's eyes! Each child looks up to mom and dad and imitates every single thing that they do! Parents living a life portraying Christ is a segway for the child to come to know of Christ as He is made known by prayer and His word. It is then when the child grows up that he or she makes the decision to follow the Lord, to declare Him as Savior. But how much is the child affected and influenced by the parents! This makes me realize what a crucial role in life a parent, or any leader for that matter, has... raising up, directing future generations. CRUCIAL

And I feel so impotent as each child I come into contact with at work has a much more powerful driving force than I at their home: their parents. And my intention is not to OVERPOWER each kid's life to take over their parent's spot; but I ask myself, "What can I do?"

I think of the Lord's patience (such a patience!... even with me... praise the Lord) in watching parents raise their child in such vile ways that seem completely normal today. Such ways that are even indirectly encouraged by the parents because they are amused when the little one pops the F bomb at the dinner table. Chuckles are exchanged and the kiddos are told not to say that... but chuckles were exchanged. The child heard the chuckles and the child him/herself is amused because he/she amused the parents! "So why not try it again...?"

I am not a parent myself so some would call me "unqualified" to say what I've said. However, knowing the God I serve and coming to know Him even more as I walk in this life, He does reveal how he wants us to live and how not to live... it's all IN HIS WORD. How to live by His word and live worshipfully for the Lord, for Him. I am seeing, as I work where I work, how not to live. So how do I live then? By His word. Whether it is being a parent, being a sister, being a friend, being a daughter... He's revealed to us how to live. So I cling to His word that lights my way and to the hope that everyone, even at the ends of the earth, will come to hear His name and His word before He comes. And I pray that He might use me for that task. I want to be an instrument for His work and His glory.

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." 1 John 5:3 (emphasis added)