“You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.” Psalm 18:35
David said these words about and to the Lord, and they should be words we echo in praise, as well. By means of application, we should also pray that we are found faithful in living this out before our kids…that we might be ambassadors of this truth in their lives. After all, as parents we are called to be ambassadors of gospel living and represent a picture of Christ to our children.
“You have given me the shield of your salvation…”
We cannot save our children, but we can continually surround them with the Living Word that is mighty to save. The more we instill God’s truth into them…the more we speak of who God is and His beautiful commandments…we are seeking to protect them: protect them from the sin in themselves and the temptations in the world they live in. We cannot save our children, but we can point them to the Savior who will shield them forever…through His blood and righteousness.
“Your right hand supported me…”
We cannot carry our children, but we can support them, we can encourage them, and we can help bear their burdens in physical ways and in prayer. We cannot do for them what God has called them to do themselves, but we can be like Aaron and Hur when they each took one of Moses’s arms and held them up when he was growing weary in the battle (Exodus 17:12). Above all, we must always point them to the everlasting arms of Jesus. He is enough.
“Your gentleness made me great.”
We cannot pursue making our children great by the world’s standards, but we must show them what true greatness actually looks like. We can show them true greatness, by teaching them how to be “a servant of all”, through our words and example. We can teach them the emptiness that life delivers in the pursuit of earthly greatness and daily spread before them the treasures to be found when we die to self, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. We can open up the Bible and show them the words of the gentle Savior:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
A short verse. A small window into how God “parents” us. A beautiful illustration of the character of our great God, and one that encourages us to be like Him through the power of the Holy Spirit and the example of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ. Oh, that we would have a heart like our Lord as we parent our children! Many of us have extra time in this unique season of quarantine and isolation. May we use these extra hours in each day to faithfully feed our own souls with the Word of God…and then proclaim those very truths to those in our care, in all the ordinary and not so ordinary moments of our days.
“Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith. Galatians 6:9-10
Just the Clay 
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