My middle child is getting a character award today at school for being a person who demonstrates caring, one of the school's main foci of character. I couldn't be prouder of him and I can't wait to go to the ceremony and cheer him on. It also helps that he doesn't know that it's coming and therefore he will be utterly surprised.
Without this sounding like griping (because it's genuinely not), why don't they give character awards to the parents too? I'm a caring person, so shouldn't I get one for helping him become a caring person? I immediately know the answer: because not all parents are caring and the kid may be caring precisely because the parents are not. I get that.
But as a parent, I also know that my character gets replicated in the life of my child, even when it's by rejection of my character to pursue something opposite (as I mentioned above). It's a natural process. My character helps form his character.
And then I'm reminded and chastised by the Scripture: it's not about my character being replicated in the life of my child that matters. Should I continue to help him be kind and caring and respectful and so forth? Absolutely. But there's a clarity that we need in parenting.
It's the character of Christ replicated in his life that matters. And that's a supernatural process.
But that's just me thinking thoughts...
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