For the month of January we will be praying for 31 Virtues for our Kids maybe even for ourselves too!
Psalm 25:21 (New International Version)
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.
The other day a child (not my own) was not suppose to have any candy. The child's parents specifically told him not to. At the dinner table, as this child was talking, we noticed that their tongue was a nice shade of green I believe. We (the parents) all joked about if you are going to eat candy when you are not suppose to at least make sure it doesn't change the color of you tongue, it is a dead give away. Now, we were all joking around about it but we all understood integrity is far deeper than that. The ideal is that the child would not eat it at all and not cover up something if they have done wrong or justify it.
One time one of my children got caught in a big lie. We as parents have to take these times to teach them about these virtues, honesty and integrity. I made that child sit in their room and think about what they did and why it was wrong. We than sat at a table and wrote down answers to a series of questions I came up with to help my child understand why what she did was wrong. Why is it wrong to lie? Is God a liar? Does it hurt others when we lie? Can I be trusted if I lie? What should I do when I lie? How can I make it right? (She got grounded as well)
I like this verse...it is soooo good. How true it is that when we are honest and blameless what can be said of us. I know people that have such amazing character and integrity that if something was ever said of them to destroy them I would not believe it. If only we could say that about our politicians, sad : ( .
Sometimes, my kids in our youth group have had problem with gossip and so and so said this about so and so... you know what I mean. They want to know the truth, so one of my questions is, "Does this rumor match your friend's character?" Sometimes, that is a great measuring stick for people. Integrity always will protect you...I never have to worry about what people are saying because my hope is in Christ and He helps me polish my integrity.
Wow, that is what I want for my kids. I want them to be honest and full of great integrity; because when they have these virtues I know that they are covered by Christ. Let's pray this into our children today!
*"May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection."
Today, let's not get caught with a green tongue...LOL....
*by Bob Hostetler, it is excerpted from Pray! magazine issue #4, 31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Kids
**I just love this picture of my girl and her very green tongue and just had to use it!
Great post and what an interesting and true analogy. Love the "green tongue"...made me lol..
ReplyDeleteThis made me think of the scripture in proverbs that says something like "out of the heart, the mouth speaks". We need to help to shape our kids hearts, not just their behavior...and it all starts with honesty and integrity.
ReplyDeleteLove your post, and your blog!