Are You A Joy?

"Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden." Hebrews 13:7

We have very few rules at our house. As a matter of fact - I only have 5 written on the side of our refrigerator door. Instead of a long list of: don't hit, don't run, don't color on the walls, don't sit on the dog, don't lick your dad's glasses (yes - I have had to literally say the last two "do not's" to my son!) don't..... whatever the case may be, I've tried to focus on the heart issues.

One of those issues and rule number 4 is Be Respectful. Under Be Respectful I have the above verse listed (for each short rule I have one related verse).

Well, this verse has been written and said MANY times in the last few weeks at our house. My oldest daughter is really struggling with immediate obedience and respecting authority. I guess a pet-peeve of mine is someone rolling their eyes. Even if I see another child do that it takes everything in me to not shout, "Excuse me?".

But, I'm learning that I need to make this verse into a prayer and not just something that I make Savannah write 20 times for poor behavior so that it will sink into her brain! I want this to sink into her heart. AND --- why do I always tend to think - "Oh, this verse is for the kids." Isn't it for me, too? Am I a joy? YIKES! A lot of times --- no, I'm not.

I've always had the fear that one of my children would be the dreaded child of his/her class. You know - the one where if that particular child is absent the teacher does a little happy dance. Maybe you were that child once --- maybe you have one now and you know it! Even worse, maybe you don't know it!! Maybe you are a teacher who did the happy dance this week. Or, maybe you are a Mom with a list of rules for your kids that you don't always follow yourself.

So, let's do a heart check together. Are you (not your kids) - you, are you a joy? When you go to work are others glad to see you? Do you give your supervisor lip on occasion or possibly roll your eyes? Are you quick to obey those in authority over you? Are you quick to obey God?

Yes - this verse is a great verse for our kids. But first, let's pray this for ourselves so that our kids can see us live this our first hand.