Why is Psalms 19:14 so important to me? Well, scripture says that whatever is in our hearts will eventually make it out of our mouths into the world. I, as all may know, am a young mother of two precious, stinky boys, 3 and 4 years old. A huge part of their character is being developed right now; before the age of 5. So why would this verse be so vital to me? Because whatever is on my heart, will come out of my mouth...eventually...and into the ears, minds and hears of my little boys who are soaking SO MUCH of what I say on a daily basis. For example, we have these two dogs, one of which is Sancho Panza...let's just say, in my heart of hearts, I don't really looooove this dog. So, when he is bad, everything in my heart about this dog comes out of my mouth..."Sancho!!!!!! You are a BAD DOG!! Sancho, no one really likes you!!!" Etc etc. Well, who is watching this bad behavior of mine? My boys...especially Parkerman, will watch me and be able to recount the whole thing to daddy (who by the way adores Sancho) when he gets home. Yikes....Parker learned behavior...what did he learn? When a dog frustrates you...you yell and scream at it. "Anger of man, does not produce the righteousness of God"...my anger, no matter how justified, will NEVER produce righteousness in my children for whom I pray all-of-the-time that they will hunger and thirst for righteousness!!
I know that was a silly example, but it's not really. These little boys LEARN right and wrong majoritally from me, due to my husby working and going to school full time. So all of my behaviors are being watched. My heart needs to be meditating on TRUTH and what is pleasing to HIM! When fear, anxiety, jealousy, and other "gunk" crowds your mind, and therefore your heart, you will notice that it will show up in your life in some form...you snap at your kids, you yell at the dog, you criticize everyone you know, you gossip...are these things we want our little children who we are desperately trying to raise to love Jesus to see and learn? I sure don't. Yet everyday I will find one of these lovely "flaws" show up in my life. I pray on a regular basis, "Father God, please cover my mistakes with my children, help us unlearn bad behavior together, and take from my children's mind the mess-ups I had today."
So how do we slowly fix this? "Let the words if my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable to you, oh God!". When you find "discord" in your mind or emotions...check it against The Lord...is it pleasing to Him? No? Then "put it away". The Bible tells us to "put away" bad behavior...which means we have to get up, and take action, and put away a thought or reaction, etc. Confess it to God, and replace it. Instead of focussing on how mad you are at someone who wronged you, or how you feel like you were jipped in the area of life...whether it be salary or money or lack of time by yourself as a young mother...start reciting scripture, use Psams 19:14 as your starting place. And most of all, know that it is impossible for you to be the perfect parent. You MUST rely on God's beautiful strength to raise these children and know they will not be perfect...even God, who was the PERFECT parent, had kids who rebelled... :).
No comments:
Post a Comment