Now it happened once that while a man was being buried, the people at the funeral suddenly saw a raiding party. They threw the body into Elisha's tomb and ran off. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet! 2 Kings 13:21
Have you caught your child telling a little lie or omission of the full truth? Did you hear from his/her lips foul language or hateful words of anger? Did you find out that your child cheated on a test? Do you see an attitude of prejudice in your child?
Right now, as a parent, you may be frustrated with your child’s actions. You may want to lash out at this child in anger. We may even say horrible words like, "You idiot! What were you thinking? Will you never learn? Are you that stupid? Get out of my sight. I don't want to see you."
Then we turn around and look in the mirror. Did we argue with our spouse that morning and say hurtful words? Did we use foul language when we spilled our coffee? Did we watch television and say, "I hate those people?" Did we cheat just a little on our tax forms?
In 2 Kings 13:21, a story is told of a man who quite literally came back to life when he was only in the company of Elisha's bones. 1 Corinthians 7:14 says, "For the believing wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the believing husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy." Could the company of holiness bring about holiness? Could the life of Christ in us bring new life to those around us?
Are we the company our children are keeping? Is God’s holiness in us rubbing off on those around us? Maybe our attitudes, which are not Christlike, are rubbing off on them. Jesus never will turn His back on us or tell us to get out of His sight. His eye is not only on the little sparrow, but it is also continually on us. He loves us through our ugliness and helps us to recover. We may suffer consequences from our actions, but God always makes things right because He gives us life when we are in His presence.
Do you see bad behavior in your children? Well, maybe they are a reflection of the one you see in the mirror. Be the holiness, life, and love of Christ in you, and see if it rubs off on your children.
Father, forgive me for setting a bad example for my children. Let me be a good representation of You. Through Christ, I pray, Amen.
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