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As parents, our job is to teach and train our children. We do this with the Word of God as our guide.

During this training process, you will have the opportunity to get frustrated when you see your children repeat mistakes, but don't get caught up in looking at the immediate - let's work at seeing the end result!

Seeing What They Will Become
The Angel of the Lord came down from Heaven seeking Gideon, He said to Gideon, "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor " (Judges 6:12).When he heard this, Gideon looked up as if to say:

"Angel, you must have made a wrong turn coming out of Heaven. My name is Gideon. I'm the youngest member of my family, and we're the poorest in our tribe. The Lord has left us and we've been taken captive. Things are hopeless and the people here are starving to death." (Paraphrase, see vv. 13,15)
Gideon's response shows us that he didn't see himself that way. Gideon was a man without a vision. He saw himself as weak, poor and unable to do anything about his situation.
But the Lord's response reveals how He saw Gideon by faith: "Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man" (Judges 6:16).

God did not call Gideon what he was. By Gideon's own admission, he was a wimp hiding in a hole. God called him what he was going to become - a "mighty man of valor."

God doesn't see what we are. He sees what we will become. That's how we, as parents, are to see our children. We can't just  look at our children for what they are at the moment. They may be klutzy and constantly making mistakes, but we need to see them for what they will become. We need to see them as God does.

How God Sees Us Differently
In the gospel of Luke, the Bible talks about how Jesus stayed up all night praying, talking to the Father. He was getting ready to select the twelve men He would name as apostles (Luke 6:12-16).

Jesus only did what He heard the Father say, so I can imagine the conversation going something like this:

"Okay, Father, who are We going to pick as My disciples?"

"The first one will be James."

"Oh, that's good, Father. I like James. He's a good solid businessman. Who's next?"

"I want you to pick Matthew."

Jesus thinks for a minute, then says, "There are lots of Matthews. Which one did you mean?"

"You know the one."

"Oh, Father, You don't mean that tax collector, do You?"

"That's the one."

"But, Father, I can't have a tax collector following Me. I mean, things are bad enough with the ministry as it is. People like that are hated and spit upon."

"Take Matthew."

So Jesus says, " Not My will, but Thy will be done." After writing down those names, He asks, "Who's next?"

"I want  you to pick Peter."

Jesus thinks a minute then says," Peter? Father, there are several guys named Peter. Which one do you have in mind?"

"You know the one."

"But, Father, he has a hot temper. I can't have him following Me around in the ministry."

"Pick Peter."

Again, Jesus says, "Not My will, by Thy will be done," and he adds Peter's name to the list.

From a natural point-of-view, the twelve apostles were some of the klutziest guys ever put together at one time.

Using New Testament street talk, Jesus once said to them: "How long do I have to put up with you guys? When are you going to get some faith? I can't hang around here forever. I have to go home! You need to get a hold of this." (Paraphrased; Mark 9:19, 4:40).

Then two of the disciples, James and John, who were called the Sons of Thunder (Mark 3:17), brought their mother to Jesus to get permission for them to sit on either side of Him in glory. They were more concerned about the titles and positions than about the ministry. (See Matthew 20:20-21).

But these twelve ragtag, messed up guys were the same ones God used, in three and half years, to turn the whole world upside down. They worked at evangelizing the whole known world.

So, as parents, we must have patience with our sometimes klutzy kids. God looks at things differently than we do. Looking down through time, He sees the end result. He doesn't call us what we are, but what we will become.

Saying What God Says
When it comes to seeing the end result with our children — we need to get in the Word and find out how God sees them. What does He say — and that is what we need to say.  When you speak God's Word over and about your children, you are planting a seed that will bear good fruit in the life of your family!

Let's enjoy the journey!
Copyright © Joe McGee Ministries
All rights reserved.

Author Biography

Joe McGee
Web site: Joe McGee Ministries
 
Joe McGee, author, national conference speaker, father, and former school administrator, is the founder and director of Joe McGee Ministries, Inc. and Faith For Families Ministries.
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