My 11 month old baby rolled her eyes, and this is what I was reminded of…
We all have it…
A sin nature, I mean. We are all inherently sinful by merely being born and human. I always joke about how Zylah “rolls her eyes” when you annoy her…but where did that come from? She was 11 months only when she started doing it…her sisters don’t do that, I never taught that to her…
No matter how cute and innocent that sweet little baby of yours looks- they too, are inherently sinful. When people ask me where she learned to roll her eyes and I respond “her sin nature”, they laugh (and I chuckle a little too), but it’s true, it’s sooo true. And it’s your call Mama, to correct and disciple your little ones, so that the Holy Spirit in them can grow and begin to correct the posture of their heart, so that that sun nature can be broken.
Don’t become disillusioned by the depravity of the world today and all of the heaviness of everything happening. All of these things are happening as a result of sin nature, in-checked. Little children are no longer being shepherded by their Mother and Father (as the family unit is continually under attack), therefore sin nature begins to run rampant. When sin nature is out of control in little children, “out of control” scenarios begin to play out as they become grown adults.
Do not underestimate the role that you have as “Mother”. Disciple your little ones, point them to Jesus in every way possible. Ask the Holy Spirit to posture their hearts towards Him. BREAK that sin-nature, by the power of Jesus. Cancel any plan that the enemy has, to grip your children and hold onto them. They belong to the King of Kings. Shepherd them and steward them for HIM.
In the everyday moments of doing life with them, point them to Christ. The love and intentionality that you show them, even in taking time to bake with them, or acknowledge a painting they made, or the gentleness you display when they spill their drink on the floor…it matters. It all matters. Shepherding their hearts does not always look like sitting down and cracking open a “Bible story”, but rather…YOU cracking open your Bible, being filled and refilled by the Holy Spirit, so that the fruit that you produce are love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, patience etc…these fruit COUNTER sin nature, and as you shepherd your children out of the fruit of the Spirit, you will begin to see the Spirit grow within them and that sin nature begin to break.
It all matters, Mamas. The time you spend with your children and how you interact with them matters and is Kingdom work.
We all have it…
A sun nature that needs to be surrendered and broken before Christ, so that the fruit of the Spirit can grow in abundance as the Spirit fills us and helps us to shepherd our children. Don’t underestimate your call as a Mother and your complete need for Christ and the cross, to fulfill that purpose of discipling your babies. It’s Kingdom work, don’t you ever forget it.