Some of the toughest lessons for me to teach my children are how to forgive those who hurt them. Not because it's tough for them to forgive, on the contrary they usually tell me to not say anything to anyone when someone is mean to them. They worry about those people's feelings and sometimes they are also are afraid that those people will be angry at them. The real tough part is dealing with my own feelings of anger when I know someone did my children wrong. Today I was talking to them about a couple of situations when certain people didn't respect their belongings and because of it one of my children's toys were damaged and other toys were lost. I asked my child, the one who's things were damaged, if *** wanted me to say something to the individuals who were responsible. But my angel said no, *** didn't want one of those people to get in trouble or have that person get angry.
That is not the first time people have been disrespectful to my children. In fact I've witnessed how some people are out right rude to my babies. I think there are only a few sins as abominable than hurting a child on pourpuse, even emotionally. I remember years ago certain visitors to my home would ignore my kids when my baies tried talking to them or when my kids brought them a book to read to them or asked them to play. Once someone even read a book as fast as she could to my child, so ridiculously fast that I couldn't even understand what they were reading, to rush and to get my child away from her as fast as possible. I don't know how those adults could be so hateful to innocent children, even with me right there?! Others have yelled at my kids for things they didn't do and my poor babies, being so meek, tell me that even though their feelings got hurt that they don't want me to say anything. Inside my blood boils, my heart breaks and tears swell up in my eyes, however the Holy Spirit keeps me from going after those people and just slapping them. I usually manage to muster up the calm voice to tell my children that I am proud that they can forgive those who hurt them. Then I tell them we must pray for our enemies. It's sad to say enemies because 99% of the time those people have been family. After a situation like that it takes me about a day of prayer to give me the strength to forgive. Then I realise how amazing my children are! When I was their age if someone hurt me I took delight in seeing them suffer and punished. But my kids think about the other person's feelings and well being before their own!
I have no doubt that my babies have the Lord in their hearts. Even though I should be the example to them of how a godly person should react to being hurt emotionally or being disrespected, the truth is that they are the ones who inspire me to become more like Christ and I consider them my heroes!
Lord help me to have "faith like a child". Give my husband and me the wisdom to show them how to gave a Christ like attitude towards our enemies and that my precious and amazing children don't lose that meakness and love they have even to those who don't show them that same love.