Have you ever read the Parable of the Talents?
Why, after nearly nine years of being a parent has this just now made the most sense to me? I always looked internally when reading this parable, which, I believe, is it's true intention.
For Christ has given us gifts and abilities and that we're to use them and multiply them. That it would be a waste to store them inside for such gifts to never be used. It's good stuff. Meaty. Yet I have never spent time to focus on the fault of the servant with the one talent: Fear. "So I was afraid..." (Mathew 25: 25) He was afraid.
Try applying this to parenting. The Lord entrusted HIS property to us each according to our ability (I think this is astounding in itself, v15). We then put our talents to work and gain more, for his profit. Put those children to work! Cultivate their hearts, expose them to the work involved in building his kingdom!
But what happens when there is fear? Oh that creepy little word. With such power. Fear is a marketing ploy. Fear drives sales of expensive car seats and baby monitors and cars with gazillions of air bags. That's just the beginning. Then there's helmets and hovering, controlling and manipulating. It pushes us so far from knowing that absolutely EVERYTHING we possess, in our care, isn't even ours. Because we typically choose to try and control everything within our possession as if it is ours. It's not. It's not ours.
They're not ours.
Will we hide? And hope when he returns that we are still alive and our children, too? Then what do our own children learn of caring for their own talents? Fear.
And that ugly little word with so much power gets passed from generation to generation, robbing us of the potential and power to work efficiently.
If you have a chance, read this parable over and over. The first two servants had to work. They put fear aside, focused on their job, used great confidence for who they were and why they had been trusted and went to WORK (full well knowing that what they had been given had been entrusted to them and it was not theirs). The third servant sat in fear. Hid. Put nothing to work but his fear. Which in the end landed him outside in the darkness, weeping.
I think all of us can share moments of fear as a parent. I certainly struggle with certain issues, not entrusting Christ to protect them as I would. But even just typing that sounds ridiculous.
Have you dedicated your child? Have you stood before a congregation of people, agreeing to give that baby back to Christ? By giving back, aren't we surrendering control in a sense? Agreeing to go to work, do as our master would and multiplying our gift, knowing the talents would be handed right back to him?
It sure puts things into perspective. Where's the risk or fear when the work isn't for us anyway? And that's what I have to hold on to.
One of our children was in a situation the other day where he REALLY wanted to talk about Christ. He was so concerned over the eternal destiny of some friends that he was absolutely confident in discussing it with them. Jason and I were not going to be present when he chose to do it. We were so afraid. What if he says something weird? What if he totally offends them? What if his words are twisted and come across strange or offensive? At one point we privately discussed even asking him not to.
Fear. Of what? His talents? Of what HIS master had given him? Listen up: His Master governs the entire Earth. His master governs every heart and mind. His master knows of the talents he set in his heart because HE created said heart, and that has nothing to do with Jason and I. Meaning his master knows the result. And we have to be okay with that. And we both agreed not to fear the outcome, even if it meant having him look weird or us look weird. So he went. And apparently he said something. And we still are afraid that we look weird. ;) But it's out of our control. And we are currently learning from this child over lack of fear and willingness to work.
So let go. That child is not yours. The things you can control are how you manage these talents, how you treat them, train them, love them, guide them, and teach them. Do so for the sake of fruit. Know that every seed you plant, something will harvest.
And one day, your master will come saying, "Well done, my good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" (v23)
To hear such words!
Side notes:
-I do not believe that being concerned about your child's safety is wrong. :) But if we choose anything for our children out of fear and not wisdom, this creates a very bad thought process for decision making in the future. :)
-While I used family pictures in this post, the intention of putting our images on here was not to be of an example of the talents, but more-so to post them on the inter-webs so that there is some record, because Lord knows I don't print images or keep them. They need to go somewhere. ;) I hope that makes sense.
-Merry Christmas! May you be blessed this season and absolutely covered in the love of CHRIST!!