The greatest in their kingdom...

Have you ever wondered how others view you? Do they see the same person that you see of yourself?

I often wonder how my children view me as their father. If I looked at myself through their eyes...would I see the same man? Would I understand myself, as the man who stands before them? Do I really fulfill their expectations about how strong I really am...or am I just a shell of what they believe me to be? Would I end up failing them if they saw me for who I truly was? I wonder if we as parents need to worry more about fulfilling our children's expectations of who we are, instead of worrying about whether or not they are going to fulfill our expectations about who they will become.

You see, the disciples once came to Jesus and asked him about who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1). They had become so self absorbed in what they could potentially become in the eyes of other men, that they had lost sight of what was truly important. They too, had become a shell in the eyes of others. The outside looked great and it appeared that they had it all together; but inside they had become empty and filled with what the world was telling them about what it took to be great.

Jesus had recognized this and responded in such a profound and unusual manner, that it had shocked their very core. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3) The Greek word used for change (strepho) means in a moral sense to essentially alter or adopt another course...to turn around or even repent.

What does this mean? Sometimes we are living double lives. What our children see is a shell of whom they believe us to be. But inside, we are someone else. Does the phrase, "Do as I say, not as I do." sound familiar? More often than not, it is those secrets lurking in our hearts that can, at anytime, expose us for who we really are and the results can be destructive. Ask yourself, "If I saw myself through my child's eyes, what would I really think? Would I be proud of whom I really am...or would I be hurt by what I saw?"

The point is that unless we change the way we think and look through the eyes of our children, we will always be a shell to those we love. If you have not experienced the damage that can be caused by the emptiness inside, then now is the time to change before it happens. If you have been effected by this experience, it is not too late for change.

Listen to what the hearts of your children have to say. Look through your child's eyes to see your life for what it really is. Right now they cry out to you! Your children are what is most important, and only by becoming like one in your heart will you be made complete and whole. Only then will you will never disappoint or hurt them. Jesus said, "Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom..." (Matthew 18:4)

May you be great in the eyes of your children. May you come to see that the hardest expectation to fulfill is from your own child. May you learn to change your course and look through the eyes of your baby to see yourself as everything they believe you to be. And finally, may you truly come to be...the greatest in their kingdom.