Spiritual Leadership for Parents Of: KidsSample

Experience

When have you felt the most alive? Taking a guess, it wasn’t on your couch binging a new show with Doritos dust accumulating on your remote. It was DOING something. It was playing in that rivalry game in high school, skydiving with your friends, giving the biggest presentation of your career, or holding your firstborn child for the first time. Experiencing the highs and lows of life is usually what makes the most vivid memories.

The same is true of our spiritual life as well. Perhaps moments like baptism, a mission trip to build homes for those in need, or sharing your faith with a friend will stand out in your story.

With that as the backdrop, isn’t it interesting that so often we strive for the opposite of these things? We strive for comfort and safety rather than adventure. The allure of the couch and Doritos-dusted remote overcomes our desire to live something bigger.

Jesus has something to say about this in John 10:10. He reminds us that he came to give us LIFE, and not just ordinary life, but life to the FULL. It’s as though there is a simulated life that is to be avoided. A cheap imitation of life that seems easier, safer even. But could it be that this is a version of life being offered by a thief looking to steal our joy, kill our ambition, and destroy the impact we could have?

And it isn’t only our life that’s affected when we choose the imitation. We lose our opportunity to help those closest to us discover this life Jesus is offering, too.

So what can we do? LIVE. Jesus is offering life, a kind of life that may not be conventional. A kind of life that finds riches in sacrifice, honor in service, and purpose in suffering. When we buy into his version of life, the couch becomes a Doritos-dusted shadow of what God has for us.

Where do you start? A simple suggestion is to find a place to serve. Offer your time and abilities to be used for a greater purpose. Find a spot at church where you can make an impact. Serve with one of our incredible local partners making an impact close to home. Sign up for a trip to build houses, teach English, or provide medical care to those in other parts of the world.

Set an example in your family of the pursuit of adventure in your faith. Then, find ways to share those experiences with your kids. Stretch them to serve in age-appropriate ways. Look for opportunities to get their hands dirty that can make a difference to others.

Today, look for an opportunity to turn off the screens and make a memory in real life! Start sharing those opportunities with your family and invite them to experience the full life Jesus offers.