October is here, and with it comes my least favorite holiday
(for several reasons, but that’s a whole other blog ;) and all of the décor to
go along. Many people begin pulling out of their closets their decorative
witches, ghosts, goblins, and skeletons. It got me to thinking, that’s exactly
what we, as Christian mommas, should be doing. We need to pull out the
skeletons.
Now before you go thinking I’m crazy and stop reading right
there, let me explain. You see the skeletons I’m referring to are not the
plastic kind to hang for Halloween but rather the metaphorical ones you’ve
stuffed away for no one to see; namely your sins.
In today’s Christian culture we (and yes I’m including me in
that “we”) seem to have this idea that we should be responsible Christians and put
all of our sin neatly away in a closet for no one to see. Never, ever, ever
should anyone think that we are any less than the “have it all together” image
we portray. Well I’m here to call that what it is: A LIE!!! It is a lie
straight from Satan himself and it is what is keeping A LOT of our children
from choosing God long after we stop forcing them to go to church.
You see if we never show others, including our children, our
sin, then they cannot understand the grace we preach to them. How can they know
grace without first knowing the sin that grace saved us from? Grace can never
be real to our children or other lost people without an honest open admission
of the sins we have been, and are being, saved from.
What does this look like day to day? I think it looks like
honesty. When we mess up we should let our kids see that, and let them see and
hear us ask for forgiveness. If there is something in our past, (as they become
mature enough to handle that) I believe we should be honest about who we have
been, so that the grace that has changed us may come to light in a very clear
and real way. I also believe this extends outside the home so that fellow
Christians and non-believers alike will be able to see you give glory to God
for the change in your life.
So how about it; are you mom enough? Are you willing to be
open and honest about the sin in your past and present? I think we can all do
this, so please come with me and let’s pull out the skeletons.
“So admit your sins to each other, and pray for each other
so that you will be healed.” James 5:16a
