When I Grow-Up

“And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

2 Corinthians 5:15

Caleb: “Mommy how come I have to be something when I grow up”

Me (no idea what he’s asking): “I’m not sure Caleb”

Caleb: “How come I have to be a drawer or cooker or race-car driver or a police man?” (those are on his current list of future aspirations)

Me (still not quite sure what he’s getting at): “Well you don’t have to be one of those things, you can do anything you choose. “

Caleb: “But how come I have to choose something when I grow up? How come people ask me that?”

Me (thinking I understand where he’s going with this now): “I guess cause they just want to know what you like.”

Caleb: “But why?”

Me (realizing this could go on for a while): “I don’t know bud.”

Ya know, I’ve been thinking about his question. ‘Cause my answer wasn’t good enough. Yes, it is true that he’s still in the “why” stage of life, but still. My answer, ‘you can do anything you choose’ just didn’t feel right.

Every child loves dreaming about when they grow up. For me, I loved pretend to wash dishes with my older brother and using my younger brother to play dress up and play house. I loved dreaming that one day I would be a famous singer. As I grew up, I still searched for what I was good at. I knew I liked drawing, math, and language. I liked writing. As I grew in my love for the Lord, my heart broke for people that did not know him. I could never find the right words to explain what I wanted to do. I couldn’t explain “service.”

As I look back, it is so clear. Little by little God kept pointing me down the same path, and giving me the same desires. As my relationship with the Lord grew, the desires of my heart became stronger.

Consider these thoughts from Elizabeth Elliott:

"What do you want to be when you grow up" Is that a fair question in teaching kids to submit their lives to God? Is it really their choice? We are trying to teach our kids to listen to God's calling in their life and surrender their life to him....

…If a young person has been taught from childhood that he ought to ‘be something’ without at the same time being shown that nothing is better than being God’s servant, he may be preoccupied with ambitions and ideals he has gotten solely from the world.”

Well, now I feel prepared to answer that question differently. We want to teach our children to obey God’s will in their lives. We want to help them to see the gifts and talents the Lord has given them to serve him! Now I will look for an opportunity to pray with my children, that they will seek the will of the Lord in their life. The prayer of the Psalmist:

" Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths; 
guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long"
Psalm 25:4-5

Here's a picture of my little buddy helping me clean the windows! He shows such a servants heart!