At this stage in my life, one of the things I’ve been thinking about more and more is how I can give back to my parents.
I thought to myself that if my parents ever stopped helping me and doing things that a parent would do for their children, I would be content. It’s not because I’m superman or super independent and invincible. It’s because everything that they have done for me since I was born until now has been enough. In fact, it has been more than enough because God said that He can use all things for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). There is nothing more that they can do for me that will change the way I see them.
I’m at a place in my life where I’m more interested in giving back to my parents than taking from them. Now this doesn’t mean I don’t want or need help, as I’m sure in the next life stage I’ll need them more than ever, but it just means that I’m filled with gratitude for all that they’ve done for me and who they are to me.
I’d like to believe that I would still think highly of them and sing their praises, not because of what they can give me, but because they are my parents. As I grow older, I’ve become more and more aware of the sacrifices they made for my brothers and I and the situations and circumstances they went through.
In business terms, I would say that I’m trying to give them back a return on their investment. In Biblical terms, it might be interpreted as trying to live out the 5th commandment.
As a family, we just celebrated my dad’s 66th birthday. We ate and he shared stories about his life, some of which I haven’t heard before. I remember thinking to myself there are only a few people in this world that I would do anything and drop everything for, and my Dad is one of them. If he called me and asked me for a favor, there would be little to no hesitation. Out of the love and reverence I have for my father, I think I would do whatever he tells me to do.
As I sat with this thought, I felt the Holy Spirit convict me. I felt like He was saying “I want you to have the same attitude you have with your parents with me.” Now granted, earthly parents are different from our father in heaven. My parents don’t really ask me for much anymore now that I’m older, and that might make it a little easier to have an attitude of gratitude.
But I thought to myself, if God stopped blessing me today, would I still worship Him and give Him praise? Would I still be filled with so much gratitude for all the things that He has done that I wouldn’t want anything else? Would I choose to love God for who He is and not what He can do for me? Would I come to a place where I am more interested in doing things for God than wanting Him to do things for me?
As I wrestle with these questions, I’m reminded of Jesus. Jesus did not come to earth to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Jesus was more interested in doing things for the Father, than doing things for Himself (Mark 14:36). Jesus’ obedience to the father was not because of what He could do for Him but rather because of who God is and the love that He had for His father (John 14:31).
This season of Patient Endurance puts us in a position to grow into maturity. Where we have an opportunity to choose to be like Jesus; to be filled with a heart of gratitude to the Father, for who He is and not just what He has done for us; to have an attitude of serving the Father rather than having Him serve us; and to worship and praise His name simply because He is God and we love Him.
My prayer is that we would grow in the love and reverence of the father and live more and more like Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, I pray that we would get to a place with God where all we want to do is give Him glory and honor for who He is and not what He can do for us. In Jesus name, we pray, Amen!