It's Mine!
Posted in Daily Focus on Sunday, September 15, 2013
"That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate" (1 Timothy 6:18).
The yelling echoed off the walls of our schoolroom for the last time that day. All three of my homeschool students were being sent to different corners for another timeout. I shook my head as I walked away and wondered, "Why is sharing so difficult for young children? They are always worried about getting their ‘fair share' of everything!" The new art supplies we had purchased were an enticement to selfishness, but certainly not worth the name-calling and fighting I had been hearing. Today was another opportunity to help my children understand that God gives us everything we need. We can afford to share with others.
Christ is our best example in teaching sharing. Philippians 2:3-8 says, "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Christ gave up everything to come to Earth to suffer and take your place for the punishment of your sins. He is the One who willingly shared His life, so you could receive the forgiveness of sin and eternal life. According to Hebrews 12:10, we even can share in His holiness because of the sacrifice He gave in dying on the cross.
Has your house been experiencing the "It's mine" syndrome? Don't allow this attitude to take root in the heart of your child or yourself. Remember, everything we have has been given to us by the Lord. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17a).
Father, I know how selfish I can be. You are the One who has blessed me with everything, and I am not my own. Help me to acknowledge my dependence on You and share all that I am with others today. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Comments(7 comments)
SISTER L 09/18/2008 07:13:51
Your messages are always such perfect timing in my home.
ANNA L 09/15/2009 07:04:35
Wow, have you been to my house? This is something that has been a challenge for me, as the parent, to cope with. I find myself pleading with the Lord every morning prior to school, "help me be a good mom, and a patient mom". But, this had pushed me beyond what I can cope with alone. With the Lords help we have gotten through every school day, and I am exhausted physically and drained emotionally from the mental gymnastics that my children's arguing brings on. I am so thankful for your posts, more than once already this school year, it feels as if you know my family. They are each child adopted out of Fostercare. They come with "extra" issues and have come into our home at varying ages and times. But, WE ARE FAMILY! Thank you for you contribution to other homeschoolers!
Anna
NICOLE A 09/15/2009 07:22:18
Just wanted to thank AO for doing this! I look forward every morning to reading my AO devotionals by email. It is such a blessing. I don't have tons of Christian homeschool friends, so it is wonderful to read about struggles another homeschool mom experiences and how she finds God in those moments speaking intot he situation for life application.
This is our first year doing the AO curriculum (Math, Bible & LA 3rd Grade). THanks again! God bless you:>)
CHERITH N 09/15/2010 15:26:33
I printed it off and the whole family got a dose of "It's Mine" for breakfast! Thank you for making my day more palatable!
God bless! The Nottinghams
AUDRA K 09/15/2011 05:10:03
Thank you for this well-timed devotional. It always speaks to me. So glad we have this devotional tailored to our specific Homeschool struggles and that is relavant to any Christian. This devotional is such a blessing to me. God bless!
KATHY S 09/15/2012 07:54:12
I have an only child who wishes he had a brother to share with.
How funny that when we have siblings we fight, and when we don't, we wish we did.
My brother and I fought over everything as children. Now that we are getting older, it's only once in a while!LOL)
Wonderful devotional as always. Thank you & May God Bless all who are reading today.
Emilia Martinez 09/15/2014 13:09:34
Hello all. I have been homeschooling now for 9 years. The Holy Spirit has been the one who has been helping me graduate 3 of the 4 now. Yes almost every home has these problems; at the honest ones will admit to it. Anyway, Jesus says to all parents to raise the children up in the ways of The Lord, do not scorn your children to wrath. So The Lord has given us parents the awesome privilege to entrust the children to His ways of training them up to be in the image and likeness of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the only one who should be instructing us and leading us to raise the children up in everything. We need to give up first and humble ourselves and show the kids what sharing looks like. They don't know what sharing looks like. At this time people have been so caught up in just having memory scriptures that we are missing the next part of what Jesus has commanded us to do. Jesus says in John 5:39-40 you search the scriptures for your salvation but the scriptures point to me and yet you won't come to me for your salvation. Jesus never said to stand on memory scriptures, no He said to believe in the one who has bent me. In order for there to be order in the home we the parents need to look at ourselves first and realize that we have really been deceived by thinking that just by taking the kids to church or Sunday school is enough. It's not. We are allowing someone else to do what God has commanded the parents to do. So when the parents have no clue and church has no clue then everyone is being deceived. Then we blame God. He has already given us instructions on how to do life and show the kids as well. The thing is we are not being taught in church how to really surreneder our lives to be able to show the kids what not mine looks like. In palms king David speaks to God telling God I have born in sin. So kids have sin too that they obviously need to repent of but they also need to be taught what repentance is and why they need Jesus too. As the parentMartinez or whoever is the caretaker and teacher of the child they need to be surrendering too to show the child what sharing looks like. Jesus said without Jesus you can do nothing but with Jesus you can do all things. So what we are being taught is that Jesus is in control and that's not all true. Jesus says when you give up your Loire for my sake you shall find it; but if you keep your life you will lose it. That part that Jesus says is the part that says the same problem you are all talking about it's mine. So we need to not just have memory verses. They really need to be shown how to apply them into our lives. Jesus is the living Word. We need o manifest His words into our lives as well. Jesus did the scriptures . He never to memorize them because He do not relie on your own understanding but to relie on me and I shall direct your path so WE need to give up it's mine first and show the kids what sharing looks like and feels like when we do let go of our lives for Jesus. Jesus my nourishment comes from doing the will of the Father so if the parents are naourished then how can we show the kids how to have real naurishmemt. We all need to give up it's mine so there is god order in the home. It's starts with the one who think they are leading the home. We don't need to be passified for fear of being rebuked or being told we are doing things wrong. We are doing things wrong. We need to change our ways of thinking them doing. Jesus we need the mind of Christ nor the worlds minds. There's so much beauty really walking in the Holy Spirit and being willing to surrender to show the kids the same things. Jesus needs to be asked to come into our hearts then come into our homes. He will not interfere with our decitions if we don't ask Him and invite Him in. He does not I intrude or barge in. He is a compete Gentleman. We really do't even know what that looks like. He is a complete Gentleman. He IS gentle, kindness, patience, humble........ I am learning how to apply the bible with the Holy Spirit and I am and have been seeing much results and growth from Jesus. I see the life and order in my home. My kids are leading the reality of repentance and the peace that The Lord has promised to all of us who really come to Jesus as He said to come to Him. In the right spirit and His truth. Not intellectually but by asking the Holy Spirit how to come and what we haven't really given up to Jesus. I do alappreciate the devotions and we really need to not just read devotions but really be devoted to The Lord. We all know that everyone has problems. We are in denial if we say we don't have problems. But to really know and understand Jesus did provide the way out through the cross is life and peacefull. Many scriptures on the subjest of how to give up it't mine. When it's not. I am learning g how to teach my kids what giving up what and letting it go back to Jesus looks like. Jesus is the filter of all the junk that holds us all captive. I am teaching my kids these simple practical principles. Surrender all things back to The Lord and He will give to you what won't hurt you. He knows why we all have the it's mine syndrome and He wants to heal us all from those those things so we can all learn to give up and share and be blessed.