1 00:00:37,970 --> 00:00:41,531 Speaker 1: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched 2 00:00:41,531 --> 00:00:45,171 Speaker 1: something new. It's called The Good Word, our free weekly 3 00:00:45,251 --> 00:00:48,131 Speaker 1: newsletter built for people who want to go a little 4 00:00:48,171 --> 00:00:54,091 Speaker 1: deeper in their faith. Thank devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcast recommendations, 5 00:00:54,131 --> 00:00:57,331 Speaker 1: and a little community all in one place. No ads, 6 00:00:57,731 --> 00:01:00,170 Speaker 1: just good content. This one means a lot to us. 7 00:01:00,451 --> 00:01:03,211 Speaker 1: We built The Good Word based on the audience survey 8 00:01:03,491 --> 00:01:05,811 Speaker 1: so many of you filled out a few months back. 9 00:01:05,971 --> 00:01:08,450 Speaker 1: You told us what you wanted and we listened. So 10 00:01:08,611 --> 00:01:11,530 Speaker 1: thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to 11 00:01:11,571 --> 00:01:14,211 Speaker 1: the link in the show notes and join our community today. 12 00:01:14,411 --> 00:01:15,450 Speaker 1: We'd love to have you. 13 00:01:18,371 --> 00:01:24,611 Speaker 2: Life Audio. 14 00:01:26,491 --> 00:01:30,531 Speaker 3: Welcome to the Crossbok devotional. We're glad to have you listening. 15 00:01:31,371 --> 00:01:35,970 Speaker 3: Today's topic is about the blessing of children. We'll return 16 00:01:36,051 --> 00:01:38,651 Speaker 3: with the devotional after a brief message from one of 17 00:01:38,691 --> 00:01:55,811 Speaker 3: our sponsors, reminding our hearts that children are a blessing. 18 00:01:56,651 --> 00:02:03,011 Speaker 3: Written and read by Emily Rose Massey. Behold, children are 19 00:02:03,051 --> 00:02:06,091 Speaker 3: a gift of the Lord. The fruit of the womb 20 00:02:06,331 --> 00:02:13,171 Speaker 3: is a reward. Psalm chapter one, twenty seven, verse three. 21 00:02:13,451 --> 00:02:17,130 Speaker 3: You have your hands full. If I had a dollar 22 00:02:17,211 --> 00:02:19,531 Speaker 3: for every time I have heard that phrase in my 23 00:02:19,691 --> 00:02:22,251 Speaker 3: ten years of being a mom, when I was out 24 00:02:22,291 --> 00:02:25,651 Speaker 3: and about with my kids in public, I would probably 25 00:02:25,691 --> 00:02:26,930 Speaker 3: be a quasi millionaire. 26 00:02:27,771 --> 00:02:27,971 Speaker 2: Wow. 27 00:02:28,331 --> 00:02:31,651 Speaker 3: That might be an over exaggeration, but I've heard it 28 00:02:31,771 --> 00:02:36,171 Speaker 3: quite often. Although I know most people are just trying 29 00:02:36,211 --> 00:02:38,930 Speaker 3: to find something to say to can with a stranger. 30 00:02:39,571 --> 00:02:42,291 Speaker 3: I do wish we could find a different phrase to 31 00:02:42,370 --> 00:02:45,931 Speaker 3: say that encourages moms with little ones who take them 32 00:02:45,971 --> 00:02:50,971 Speaker 3: out in public. A few times recently that common phrase 33 00:02:51,091 --> 00:02:55,091 Speaker 3: was followed up with some extremely rude and inappropriate remarks 34 00:02:55,131 --> 00:02:57,571 Speaker 3: when they found out that I did not, in fact 35 00:02:57,731 --> 00:03:00,851 Speaker 3: have all my children with me, and that I had 36 00:03:00,891 --> 00:03:05,651 Speaker 3: more at home. Our children also hear those negative comments 37 00:03:05,651 --> 00:03:10,011 Speaker 3: about them. They are much smarter and more observant than 38 00:03:10,050 --> 00:03:14,291 Speaker 3: we give them credit for. Sometimes, how do we think 39 00:03:14,411 --> 00:03:18,051 Speaker 3: their little ears are being impacted by what strangers believe 40 00:03:18,131 --> 00:03:22,891 Speaker 3: about their mere existence? It often makes me question how 41 00:03:22,931 --> 00:03:27,411 Speaker 3: we as a society truly view children or big families 42 00:03:27,451 --> 00:03:32,011 Speaker 3: in general. I only have four children, so I cannot 43 00:03:32,011 --> 00:03:35,531 Speaker 3: imagine what moms with more than that might be hearing 44 00:03:35,691 --> 00:03:40,851 Speaker 3: while grocery shopping. Truthfully, I think we need to pay 45 00:03:40,891 --> 00:03:45,611 Speaker 3: attention to what the scriptures say about children. Because God 46 00:03:45,811 --> 00:03:51,491 Speaker 3: created them. God calls children a blessing, a gift from 47 00:03:51,571 --> 00:03:55,411 Speaker 3: the giver of good gifts. Do we have eyes to 48 00:03:55,571 --> 00:03:56,171 Speaker 3: see them. 49 00:03:56,051 --> 00:03:56,771 Speaker 2: As a blessing? 50 00:03:58,251 --> 00:04:02,211 Speaker 3: Behold, children are a gift of the Lord. The fruit 51 00:04:02,491 --> 00:04:08,131 Speaker 3: of the womb is a reward Psalm seven, verse three, 52 00:04:08,851 --> 00:04:14,011 Speaker 3: Intersecting life and faith. I understand that those who are 53 00:04:14,051 --> 00:04:18,010 Speaker 3: not Christians dismiss what the Bible says about any topic, 54 00:04:18,811 --> 00:04:22,130 Speaker 3: So we should not be very shocked when the world 55 00:04:22,211 --> 00:04:25,811 Speaker 3: behaves in a worldly way or says on loving things 56 00:04:25,851 --> 00:04:31,571 Speaker 3: about what God has created. Unfortunately, our culture speaks more 57 00:04:31,651 --> 00:04:36,451 Speaker 3: highly of pets than of children. As Christians, though, we 58 00:04:36,571 --> 00:04:40,291 Speaker 3: need to live counter culturally and not get swept up 59 00:04:40,331 --> 00:04:44,330 Speaker 3: in the world's ways or thinking. We all might be 60 00:04:44,411 --> 00:04:47,891 Speaker 3: guilty of viewing children as a burden or annoyance from 61 00:04:47,890 --> 00:04:51,731 Speaker 3: time to time. It's human nature to be selfish and 62 00:04:51,811 --> 00:04:56,251 Speaker 3: bothered by anyone, even those tiny ones who may interrupt 63 00:04:56,331 --> 00:05:01,611 Speaker 3: our plans or embarrass us in public. We must remind 64 00:05:01,611 --> 00:05:05,570 Speaker 3: our hearts of what God says about these precious little souls, 65 00:05:06,211 --> 00:05:11,091 Speaker 3: and we must lead by example. I've shared some of 66 00:05:11,130 --> 00:05:14,331 Speaker 3: my thoughts regarding these comments in public with my friends 67 00:05:14,331 --> 00:05:16,811 Speaker 3: who are moms of little ones to encourage them to 68 00:05:16,931 --> 00:05:20,330 Speaker 3: not grow offended, but to meet these remarks with truth 69 00:05:20,371 --> 00:05:24,171 Speaker 3: and love. One idea a dear friend shared with me 70 00:05:24,571 --> 00:05:28,611 Speaker 3: was that when someone tells her that her hands are full, 71 00:05:29,491 --> 00:05:35,611 Speaker 3: she responds, not as full as my heart. Friends, this 72 00:05:35,690 --> 00:05:40,371 Speaker 3: is our opportunity to boast in the Lord's goodness for 73 00:05:40,491 --> 00:05:44,291 Speaker 3: blessing us with these children that he calls a reward. 74 00:05:45,531 --> 00:05:49,611 Speaker 3: Our response to them testifies to our faith in Jesus 75 00:05:49,731 --> 00:05:53,531 Speaker 3: Christ and can challenge their own thinking about how they 76 00:05:53,651 --> 00:05:57,611 Speaker 3: view God's blessings, especially if the person professes to be 77 00:05:57,651 --> 00:06:01,291 Speaker 3: a follower of Christ. I think it is important to 78 00:06:01,331 --> 00:06:05,570 Speaker 3: be prepared to have these kind and truthful responses when 79 00:06:05,611 --> 00:06:09,051 Speaker 3: we are out in public with our children. What other 80 00:06:09,171 --> 00:06:11,731 Speaker 3: phrases come to mind that you can offer to the 81 00:06:11,771 --> 00:06:15,291 Speaker 3: strangers who might choose to connect with you about your kids. 82 00:06:16,651 --> 00:06:20,691 Speaker 3: Ask the Lord for these opportunities to not only respond lovingly, 83 00:06:21,331 --> 00:06:26,130 Speaker 3: but perhaps even engage in conversation about God's faithfulness and 84 00:06:26,331 --> 00:06:31,971 Speaker 3: grace that you experience in parenthood. Let's live our faith 85 00:06:31,971 --> 00:06:34,890 Speaker 3: out loud when we are running errands at the grocery store, 86 00:06:35,011 --> 00:06:38,171 Speaker 3: the post office, the doctor's office, or way reading in 87 00:06:38,211 --> 00:06:42,171 Speaker 3: line to order some lunch. How can you encourage moms 88 00:06:42,331 --> 00:06:45,411 Speaker 3: and dads when they are in public with their kids, 89 00:06:45,531 --> 00:06:48,411 Speaker 3: so that they also know that their children are not 90 00:06:48,531 --> 00:06:53,131 Speaker 3: seen as a burden or nuisance. Our kids are always 91 00:06:53,291 --> 00:06:57,491 Speaker 3: listening and watching. What kind of response will they hear 92 00:06:57,571 --> 00:07:00,931 Speaker 3: from your lips when someone tries to shame their existence? 93 00:07:02,091 --> 00:07:05,091 Speaker 3: I hope they hear how much you love them and 94 00:07:05,211 --> 00:07:08,611 Speaker 3: thank the Lord for giving you such amazing gifts from above. 95 00:07:09,931 --> 00:07:13,411 Speaker 3: More importantly, the Lord is listening and watching how we 96 00:07:13,491 --> 00:07:17,571 Speaker 3: speak of children in our lives or around us. Thank 97 00:07:17,611 --> 00:07:22,091 Speaker 3: you Lord for our children. What abundant blessings they are 98 00:07:22,211 --> 00:07:25,771 Speaker 3: to our lives. May you receive all the glory in 99 00:07:25,811 --> 00:07:29,131 Speaker 3: our hearts and lives as parents to these precious souls. 100 00:07:29,851 --> 00:07:33,371 Speaker 3: Further reading Matthew chapter eighteen. 101 00:07:37,171 --> 00:07:40,211 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what 102 00:07:40,251 --> 00:07:42,251 Speaker 2: you heard today, we want to make sure you know 103 00:07:42,331 --> 00:07:46,291 Speaker 2: about our sister podcast, your Daily Prayer. When you follow 104 00:07:46,331 --> 00:07:49,691 Speaker 2: your daily prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get 105 00:07:49,691 --> 00:07:52,811 Speaker 2: a brand new prayer and devotional each day, so your 106 00:07:52,851 --> 00:07:56,491 Speaker 2: days begin in conversation with God. 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