Having the Patience of Paul with Little Ones

           As a parent of 5 children under 10 years of age, I find that much of my day is spent repeating things. Children can be easily distracted, so anything can draw their little attention spans away from the task at hand. I am often reminding them to put their shoes on, pull their shoes off and put them in a certain designated area, brush their teeth, etc.  Our little ones are good and obedient children and for this, we are thankful.  Is it best to repeat things to instill within them or is there some other way to help children adopt the behaviors that we want them to do in order for them to know how to do these things correctly when they are older?  I love my children very much, and I want to be the best mother I can be for them, so I went to the Bible for help on this subject.
            I love all of the books of the Bible, but I have to say that Philippians is my favorite. The apostle Paul shows us what it means to have a positive attitude in the face of adversity in this book. The book of Philippians is a letter written by Paul to the church at Philippi, while he was imprisoned by the Romans. In Philippians, Paul gives such great advice on how to persevere through any trial, because he, himself has done so many times. Philippians 4:13 is possibly the most well known verse in the book of Philippians, and it is my favorite verse in the Bible, “I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.”  
           As I was looking over the book of Philippians, I noticed what Paul wrote in chapter 3 and verse 1, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.” Reading this verse made me realize that Paul was not bothered at all by repeating the same things he had already told the Philippians, in fact, he said that it was “safe” for them or “confirmed.” So Paul is saying by his example that we should not be bothered by having to repeat ourselves over and over to anyone in order for them to learn, especially our children. Children are blessings from God (Psalm 127:3). We are to be humble like little children in order to go to Heaven (Matthew 18:4).
            I know that all children are precious gifts from God, and they are certainly worth the time it takes to teach them all of the things they need to know in order to live happy, productive, and faithful lives before God. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Paul has taught me that I should never consider it a problem to repeat myself to little ones, when I have something important for them to know and to do. Giving them those reminders is safe and best for them, just as we as adults benefit from frequent reminders. May we all seek to be as little children so that we can have the humility necessary to fit into Heaven!
 

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