Monday, March 4, 2013

Partners in Parenting


“Who is the Best?”
I write this “edition” of Partners in Parenting after spending the past weekend at the Michigan State Lutheran School Basketball Tournament.  The brackets had teams seeded based upon who was the favorite to win.  All the players, coaches, fans, etc. were looking forward to the culminating game of the weekend – the Championship Game!  Who is the best team in the state?  Who is the best player in the state?  Who will emerge on top out of all the teams there?  Each team wanted to be the best, but only one team remained unbeaten at the end of the weekend.  As I drove home with my family, everyone slept while I thought about people’s desire to be the best.  That desire brings out many good qualities – determination, teamwork, perseverance, composure, intensity, etc.  However, all those good qualities being displayed by the athletes don’t guarantee a victory. 
As a parent, you’ll probably have your kids in a competition of some kind.  This will bring out many great qualities in your child.  It will teach them many excellent things.  In the process, there is this great thing called Sportsmanship.  Sportsmanship is how you respect and care about others during a sporting competition.  It is basically being a Christian throughout the battle of competition.  God’s Word reminds us to keep the immediate competitions of life in perspective.  “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”  Philippians 2:4 
Who is the Best?  Maybe it is actually the person who can look at the interest of others.  That is what Jesus did for us on the cross, and that is what He calls us to do as servants in the world.

Family Discussion Points!
Share something that each family member is the best at in their family (best cook, reader, organizer, persuader, athlete, musician, etc….)
How is it a great thing to consider others as well as yourself?  Talk about it a bit.
Talk a little bit about keeping earthly competition in perspective.  Also talk about our greatest victory already being won for us by Christ – the victory over sin, death, and Satan. 

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