Family Time…Seeing Jesus’ love in you
Start this week by hugging your kids again and telling them that you love them. I want to encourage you to do this often and do this for your husband, too. They all need to hear it often, plus it is Valentine Week. God tells us in scripture that this act of showing God’s loving-kindness to others does help define Christians. It sets you apart. 1 John 4:7-8 tells us to love one another for love is from God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God…for God is love.
As a Mom, I did not think about hugging my kids, above and beyond the normal events of special moments of gift giving, achievement or celebration. I am not a “huggie” person. My family that I grew up in did not hug much beyond the normal moments either. However, parental hugging and saying “I love you” are easy ways to show God’s loving-kindness for another person. One day it occurred to me around the time that my son was entering the middle & high school years that he seemed to hug awkwardly. You might question, what middle or high school boy doesn’t hug awkwardly? And you are right, most do. I wondered…how would this affect him as he leads his own family some day? So, I prayed and sought God’s guidance of how to help him. Then God gave me the idea to encourage him by teaching a healthy way to display loving-kindness by telling him that “I loved him” and asking for a hug each morning before he went to school. And do you know…by the time that he left for college, he was a changed man. The stiff awkwardness left and he easily hugged and said, “I love you” back! It had worked!
This week in your family time, I would encourage you to prepare by praying for your family and asking God to show you if any of them struggle with showing God’s loving-kindness. Think about the fact that you are raising the next generation of Moms and Dads…and how they are taught will affect their families as well. Teach them to share Jesus’ love with their words and actions. Today one way to define Jesus’ love is kindness. Ask God to show you if you struggle with showing God’s love and ask how He can help you teach your own kids. In the Family Time for this week, there is a list of ideas in the leader answers of ways to show kindness by actions or even things that can be stopped from action. But, what about your thoughts as opposed to actions…ask your family if their actions begin with their thoughts about a person? Often your behavior towards someone else starts with your opinion of them. Help your family work on their own hearts, by asking the Holy Spirit to reveal to each person, if they have hurtful ways towards themselves or others (Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way). Then, if any are revealed, ask God’s direction for the correct thoughts and attitudes towards others. Also, remember that change will not happen overnight, it does take time and a lot of encouragement from you. Each time you see an effort in kindness from your kids or even your husband, praise them and encourage them.
Do you need help or prayer for your family time? Email me at SkyMoms@skyranch.org.
I will be praying for you!
Stacy
Stacy A. Davis
Teach Intentionally
This week we are in the 6th Month Topic and 2nd Family Time (or page 54) of the Sky Ranch Devotional “Open Your Eyes”…
Family Time 2:
Month 6 Topic: God is love…Seeing Jesus’ love in you
Talk with God: Read…John 13:34, Galatians 5:22-23, Job 10:12
~ John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
- In John 13:34, Jesus commands what?
~ Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
- In Gal 5:22-23, someone who is guided by the Spirit will _____________ others.
~ Job 10:12 You have granted me life and loving-kindness; and Your care has preserved my spirit.
- In Job 10:12, what has God given to us?
Walk with God: Discuss… How do others see God’s love through you? Discuss ideas and practical ways you can show God’s love to others.
Prayer suggestion… Ask God to bring to your mind someone that needs love.
Family Time 2:
Leader Answers:
- Love one another
- Love
- Life and loving-kindness
- Discussion ideas: We often think of the obvious things like feed or shelter the needy or give money to or care for someone who is hurt, build someone up by encouraging. But what about the less obvious things like a wife who doesn’t say that mean, nagging thing to her husband, or a husband who doesn’t criticize his wife’s housekeeping style? Love can be shown in the things we refrain from saying, too. Any other ideas?
© 2011 Tori Miller and Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.
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