Parents Don’t Get to Decide What Their Children Believe…

I don’t know about you, but according to my mom, the reason I have to do anything and everything is, “because I said so!”  

Mom, why do I have to go to bed when I’m not tired?  Because I said so!  
Mom, why do I have to make my bed if I’m just going to mess it up again tonight?  Because I said so!  
Mom, why do I have to eat broccoli?  You guessed it, “because I said so!"  
But there is one thing my mom has admitted she can’t make me do.  “I can’t make you love Jesus.”

Now, she’s not saying that I don’t love Jesus (because He is totally AWESOME and I do), but that my relationship with Jesus is not something she can make happen because she says so.  It’s something I get to choose all by myself.  Of course, to help me make the choice she has told us that she loves Jesus and that He knows she loves Him. She has sung songs with me about how much Jesus loves me and she has prayed with me and taught me to pray. She always makes sure I’m ready for church and gets me there in time for Sunday School. And, my personal favorite, she has watched Veggie Tales with me (and she wonders why I don’t want to eat vegetables). And with her help, I’ve even learned who Adam, Eve, Noah, David, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are.

My mom has also told me she was well into her forties when she came to really know Jesus. I didn’t even know she was that old!  She tells me that she wishes it wouldn’t have taken so long but finally getting to know Jesus was AWESOME!  She wouldn’t trade even a minute of it. She said she realized that He alone was her source of hope. When I asked her what that meant she said it was a lot like me and Christmas.  Usually around February, I start making my “wish list” of all the things I hope to get for Christmas.  Then, I have to wait for what seems like forever to find out if I get any of it.  The day would finally arrive and I am either super excited or really sad depending on what is under the wrapping paper.  Well, she said with Jesus, when the day comes that you finally get to know and love him, you’re always SUPER EXCITED and never disappointed because the gift is always perfect.  She says knowing the gift is always perfect, is hope.

Even though she can’t make me choose Jesus on her own, she has done everything she can to plant a seed. Sometimes she overwaters the seed (I mean really, do we have to sing all 19 verses of that song…), but that’s okay because I know she is excited for me to get to know Jesus.  And, it helps prepare me for times when things get hot and dry by making sure my roots are deep.  She knows that Jesus loves me with His whole heart, no matter what.

Well, I’ve got to sign off now and clean my room.  And you want to know why? You guessed it, because she said so.

Have a great week and remember, when you know Jesus, you know hope!
Scooter

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of that not yet seen.” Hebrews 11:1