A Conversation With My Son

I had an interesting conversation with our oldest son the other day. On the way home from school we were having our usual, “How was your day?” talk. By the way, is it just our boys or kids in general, but why is the answer always, “It was good,” with no elaboration? I always say, “Well, what was good about it? What did you do all day? I want to hear all about your day.” Then they usually start talking a little more, but it always takes a lot of prodding. Every day we have this conversation. Maybe I need to learn to ask more open-ended questions from the start.

Anyway, we talked about some usual school stuff and J complained about how so many of the kids in his class were acting up that music class was messed up for everyone that day, and we discussed why we thought those same kids kept on acting up even when they’ve been punished for it repeatedly even having calls home to parents. I said I was really glad I wasn’t one of the parents getting called about bad behavior in class. In fact, his teacher has often told me what a good example he is. I also got to have a teachable moment with the boys and told him that because he is trusting in Jesus and belongs to Him, the Holy Spirit will convict him about sin and how he is to live in this world, and I told him that’s why it is so important to be learning what God has told us in the Bible because He uses His word to teach us.

J got a serious note in his voice and he told me that he has a boy in his class who says he’s a Christian but he’s consistently one of the kids who is acting up all the time and getting the class in trouble. In other words, his actions aren’t matching his profession. J was genuinely puzzled by this. We got to talk about how we don’t really know what is in that boy’s heart and only God can judge his heart, but that J could use his observations about this as a good reminder to be sure that he act right when he knows the right thing to do and to respect his parents and his teachers as the authorities God has allowed in his life at this time. We talked about how when we claim to be a Christian the way we act matters a lot, because other people will see and if our lives consistently and habitually don’t match the things we say we believe it is a form of taking God’s name in vain. It isn’t just saying His name disrespectfully, but it is also claiming to belong to Him but consistently acting in a way that someone who belongs to Him should not. That is disrespectful to Christ, too, because if we say He is Lord but act like He is not, are we demonstrating that we believe that Jesus is worthy of our worship? Then J said that reminded him of something our pastor at our old church said about coming to church on Sunday and living like a Christian on Sunday but living another way Monday through Saturday and how that’s not really living the Christian life at all – we should live the Christian life every day, not just put on a show on Sunday. I thought that was very perceptive for this 9-year-old to connect the dots that way. It is exciting that God is working in his heart and that he sees the disconnect that exists when someone professes to be a Christian, but is disrespectful to others and doesn’t act right. I like that this puzzles him, and I intend to use this in further conversations as teachable moments arise.

This has been a great reminder to me as a mom, also, that my children see and understand more than I sometimes realize, and I must be surrendered to the Lord and walking by the Spirit consistently. I really do want my life to match the confession I make with my mouth and my words. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we need to be in the Word, praying and learning what it is to live out the life we are called to live as blood-bought children of God, by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ alone, trusting Him for the faith and grace and strength to be doers of the Word, not merely hearers of it. No, we are not saved by our works, but true saving faith will lead to a life that looks different from the world. I don’t want superficial religion, but I want to remember daily and moment by moment that the Christian life is one of surrender and seeking the glory of Christ in all we do. And I pray so often that God would keep me true and bring these truths to my remembrance in the heat of the moment so that I will be sure to live that life at home, because my children are watching, and children are very sensitive and know a hypocrite when they see one. In other words, may I walk by the Spirit, not by the flesh and may I ever be a good ambassador for Christ, and may I bring honor and glory to Him, who is worthy of all praise.

1 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

1 Corinthians 5:20
“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

Exodus 20:7
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”