The greatest gift you can give to your child is love – not a sentimental emotion but an abiding sense of value of their own unique personhood and the divine spark that is theirs through God’s love as their heavenly Father. In one sense, you can’t give what you don’t have. If you, for whatever reason, find it difficult to accept and abide in the fact that you are loved personally and specifically by your heavenly Father, then it will continue to be difficult to be an effective instrument of that divine love in the lives of your children.
Pause and Reflect:
What is it about me that makes it hard to accept and abide in the fact that I am personally loved by God just as I am warts and all?
What is it about God that makes me doubt that he really means what He says that nothing can separate me from his love in Christ Jesus?
What perceived freedom, does denying God’s unconditional love for me and for others give me in dealing with my own life and relationships especially with my children? ( The freedom to judge, punish, etc.)
Think on these things. What can I do to develop a love based relationship with my child?
- I express love to my child in the form of patience when I _________
- I express love to my child in the form of kindness when I _________
- I express love to my child in the form of generosity when I _________
- I express love to my child in the form of humility when I _________
- I express love to my child in the form of courtesy when I _________
- I express love to my child in the form of good temper when I _________
- I express love of my child in the form of guilelessness when I _________
- I express love of my child in the form of sincerity when I _________
Engage the One who loves you unconditionally in loving those who call you Mom or Dad.