Parents = Shepherds

            Greetings to all my parents out there!  Mom and dad, I believe in giving honor where honor is due and surely those who are raising up the gifts of God, known as children, are due honor.  You may or may not realize it, but what you do to nurture your young has a huge impact on our future.  Yes, that's right, I said OUR FUTURE, including my own.  I always tell my friends that have kids, "You don't know who you are raising."  Because the truth is, we don't.  An angel came to Mary and told her that she would conceive the Son of God via the Holy Spirit, but I highly doubt she realized who she would be raising.  Could Mary, a woman of flesh, possibly foresee the plans of God despite the revelation from the divine messenger?  Of course not!  In those times, it was common for those in The Lord to think highly of their children's callings, but Mary's son would be different and she caught on to it quick.  Mary was very observant of her child and His growth in the Lord, daily.  From finding Him in the temple teaching elders to the fact that He was the most obedient child a parent could have, Mary became keen to His calling.  But for 30 years, Jesus does not even perform one miracle until one day while attending a wedding with his mother, when the hosts run out of wine for their guests:

"When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.  Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim."

–  John 2:3-7 (NIV) 

            You know the rest of the story, but in case you don't, Jesus transforms the water into the best wine anyone had tasted at the wedding.  The part I found so interesting was that Mary, being a guest at the wedding with her son Jesus, immediately looked at Him for the solution to this carnal problem.  I mean naturally speaking, if I was at a gathering with my best friend, who hasn't exactly done the supernatural in his life, and the hosts say they've run out of food, I doubt I'd look to him for the answers.  I couldn't possibly expect him to go and buy food for the whole party.  But Mary, having been aware of her son's growth and remembering the word of The Lord, demonstrated sheer faith in her son and what God had told her.  She knew who she was raising and so it wasn't a thing for her to put Him on the spot, despite His rebuke.  I don't know about you but I found it amazing that even after His rebuking her, she calls servants to wait on Jesus as if she already knew that He was meant to lead people.
            Mothers and fathers, I'd like you to bring your attention to Mary and understand that her faith in her son, launched His ministry.  She encouraged Him to do something miraculous and although it was for a fleshly cause, she encouraged Him nonetheless.  We, as parents, just have to be in tune with the spirit, because perhaps it is our faith and boldness that spark the beginning of God's work in our children's lives.
            Nowadays, the young are just overlooked and we make the fatal mistake of crushing the spirits of our children because of the projection we have on our lives.  God didn't answer all of your prayers or desires, so when your child has dreams you shoot them down.  That's wrong.  Don't tell your kids to be practical when you told them to trust in a supernaturally loving God.  Don't hurt OUR FUTURE.  Your troublesome, tantrum-throwing little dreamer might be the pastor that preaches the word that leads my future son or daughter to salvation.  That's why I say, "You don't know who you are raising." The calling God places on our future is simply beyond us, but we are called to nurture and shepherd those desires into their hearts.
            In January of 2014, God put a thought on my mind to meditate on.  I pictured a child telling his mother that he wanted to be a firefighter and all she said was, "aww, that's cute" and continued on with her day.  Understand that a child, because of the lack of worldly influence, has a clearer vision of their calling than when they are an adult.  A child wanting to be a firefighter? Sure, it isn't the most promising career, nor any parents dream for their child to run into fiery blazes and risk their lives, but there is something to take note of.  I am a 23 year old young man and I might want to be a firefighter, but there are completely different reasons why I would want to be one and why your little bundle of hyperactivity might would want to be one.  I might want to be a firefighter for the pension, the pay, the work schedule, the benefits and other perks, but children don't think that way.  Your child may want to be a firefighter to save those in danger, protect people from harm and be a hero.  Don't you see?  The firefighter dream is just a shell to make up for your child's lack of better words to express his desires and ultimately their calling!  It's our job to become aware of, shepherd and nurture those desires.  Teach your child about Christ and how He saved the world.  Also speak with enthusiasm, because they will be excited about whatever you show them excites you.

"Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it."

–  Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) 

            Hold on to this promise and shepherd your children well.  Support their dreams and encourage their growth.  Help them find their purpose, along with the desire to pursue it and be ready to reap a harvest so plentiful.  Have faith in God's plans for their lives.  Also, listen to this song that I wrote about the very topic, called "I'm Destined".

With Love and Blessings,

Cease The Messenger