Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3,4
My biggest boy, who just turned two, loves to help.
He has loved to help ever since he was little, well, little-er than two.
I call him my boy with the helping heart.
If you have much experience with toddlers, then you know a little boy helping means tasks take exponentially longer.
So while my boy is learning to serve others, I am learning patience. I am learning how to appreciate my children for who they are. I am learning how to nurture hearts to suit their strengths.
It's hard sometimes. There are days when I just want to unload the dishwasher myself and move on with my day. So I have to give myself a timeout. Guiding my little boy into a servant leader is much more important and eternal than seeing how quickly I can sort the silverware to move onto the laundry pile that seems to grow overnight.
I thank God every day for my babies. And I am so grateful for this sweet way to learn patience.
Now I have to find the niche for my boy with the affectionate heart....that might be more challenging.
A Godly leader finds strength by realizing his weaknesses, finds authority by being under authority, finds direction by laying down his own plans, finds vision by seeing the needs of others, finds credibility be being an example, finds honor by being faithful, finds greatness by being a servant.
- Roy Lessin
"learning how to nurture hearts to suit their strengths"...the is really what the often quoted "train up a child in the way they should go" Proverb is actually addressing. Not the way that the parent think they should go, but in a way in which the child has their natural bent. Good job, mommy! We all need to be diligent to appreciate the God-given differences in each of us.
ReplyDeleteI will call you ... momma with a dear heart.
ReplyDeleteFondly,
Glenda