Kids say the darndest things, don’t they? Recently, my son said something about me which at first glance was very flattering. However, the more I thought about it the more I didn’t like it.
My son, Nathan, told another person, “My mom never sins.” When further probed about this fact, he proceeded to share that maybe in high school I sinned or maybe he thought when I went to Las Vegas (LOL), but otherwise I didn’t.
The Reason I Liked The Comment
I have to admit I was flattered by what my son had said about me. He obviously notices I am trying to live my life in a Christlike way. I am doing something right for him to be able to obverse my example and see it as a good standard. I would definitely want my kids to see me as someone who rarely sins as opposed to someone who sins so much they don’t even know where to start in an attempt to explain the vast sea of sin in which I like to swim. It was a great compliment.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” Ephesians 2:8, ESV
The Reason I Didn’t Like The Comment
However, almost immediately after hearing the statement, it struck me as wrong. The truth is we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. If my child sees me as someone who never sins, maybe I had not been transparent enough with him or with them.
“For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”
Romans 3:22b-24, ESV
As I tried to convince my son I do sin, I was convicted to share with him how I do sin. I covet my neighbor’s things. I judge people by what they wear or how many piercings they have. I sin when I don’t submit to my husband and want my own way instead. I sin when I yell or get upset with the kids rather than having longsuffering towards them. I sin when I take the biggest piece of cake rather than handing it off to someone else.
I know I am not the only one. It is the reason I feel so free to share. We all have our areas of sin, don’t we? So, even though I love the fact my son sees a Christlike mom, I have tried to be more transparent to show him how I do fall short so he is better able to see that no one is perfect. We all fall short of the glory of God, and it is why we need Christ so much.
I truly feel how Francesca Battistelli describes herself in her song called He Knows My Name when she says,
Spent today in a conversation in the mirror face to face with
Somebody less than perfect
I wouldn’t choose me first if I was looking for a champion
In fact I’d understand if You picked everyone before me
But that’s just not my story
True to who You are
You saw my heart
And made something out of nothing
Somebody less than perfect
I wouldn’t choose me first if I was looking for a champion
In fact I’d understand if You picked everyone before me
But that’s just not my story
True to who You are
You saw my heart
And made something out of nothing
I am not perfect nor do I want to make myself appear that I am. It is important, I know now, to communicate this to my kids. I surely want to be a Christlike example to my kids, and thrilled my son sees this in me. That being said, I also want to show my kids I am just a sinner like they are saved by grace. Praise the Lord!
That is great… I've also let my kids know and will confess to them, and it gives me the opportunity to,ask them if they've sinned. Have they done something they aren't proud of, or. Wouldn't.do if we were standing behind them, if we were checking their posts, what would we think.
When they are speaking to a young lady or their brother or sister, when they get frustrated…
We do all sin, but when we willingly do it, is when judged for it.