Skip to main content

Lessons with Manny: Unashamed!

 
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6
There’s always so much you want to be able to teach your child. I wonder a lot if my teaching Is effective or if they will really remember all I say. Not only in the classroom education part of it, but in the person side of it. For them to be loving, caring, forgiven, to know truth, to stand for truth, etc.  And then there are those moments, where we learn something from our kids. And we are reassured that they are learning and my prayers for them to be able to stand up for their beliefs is working.
Emmanuel, my oldest who is 6 is a little clown. He loves to talk and sing and is very outspoken.  He has always been one that I can have conversations with since he was 2. Quick to talk, quick to learn and way advanced for his years. In the past month, my husband and I have also had the privilege to be his teachers at church and go in further detail in his learning about Jesus. We have been talking about being disciples and fishers of men.
 
Yesterday he came home and what he told me blew me away. He said they were learning in science, that scientists believe then end of the world or planet earth as we know it will come when the sun burns up the earth. He said this left his friend Alan very disturbed.
They went out to the playground and Emmanuel told him that what the scientists said simply was not true. He told him about Jesus  and his plan to save mankind. He said he told him Jesus loved us too much to just let the Earth burn and have everyone die. He told him he didn’t have to worry and he could too be in peace and be saved if only he said a prayer to accept Jesus. He told him the Creator of the universe, had a bigger plan for his life. And there at school, my 6 year old led Alan into prayer at his playground to accept Jesus into his heart. He told him he could tell his parents all about him and go to church if he wanted to. There he was unashamed, unafraid, ready to share the gospel openly and pray in a public space. Wow, I was mind blown. Speechless. My heart was touched and my soul rejoiced.
My son told me Alan was his best friend and he loved him too much to have him live a life without knowing Jesus and to be scared of dying. Loving, sharing the gospel, and willing to pray. He showed me how simple straightforward we should be to share the gospel because of the love we have for others. As an adult, I over think things. I let the what ifs, the maybe they’ll get offended, maybe they’ll reject it excuses keep me from sharing the gospel. Its so easy for me to share things in writing through this blog or social media because I don’t have to be embarrassed if you reject it. Yet he taught me in his actions what It means to truly be unashamed of the gospel.
 
I pray we can be more like children acting out of love without placing limits on our actions because of “political correctness”. I pray we are motivated by love so much that our feelings or fear don’t hold us back from sharing the greatest love of all. I pray that Emmanuel will continue to be bold and unashamed!
 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Overflow?

I started 2019 in Colorado! Seeing snow for the first time, enjoying friends who became like family. Hopeful for what lay ahead. Optimistic at the word that would describe my year: overflowing! I welcomed my thirties surrounded by love and my husband throwing me the greatest surprise party yet. and though I don't mean to sound like some ungrateful brat that complains and whines, looking back at almost half a year now I cannot seem to find this "overflow" of joy I thought I'd be experiencing. To be honest, its been quite the opposite. That kinda going through the motions- trying to smile at life- hoping no one asks me any questions- type of feeling. And what's even scarier? That up until now, I never knew what that felt like. What's even more puzzling? I didn't even realize I felt this way til a few weeks ago I sat in church and as I prayed about so many things troubling my mind, it came to me. In a song. I started humming- and in my head sin...

Nothing Else.

My favorite worship song right now is by Cody Carnes : Nothing Else. The lyrics as simple as can be: "I just want you. Nothing Else, nothing Else will do, I just want you." And as I sang this song a few Saturday nights ago at service, with my eyes closed and hands lifted in worship, I breathed in, and came to the realization of how more than just a song its a truth and a prayer I must live out everyday of my life. We just moved a week ago, and until then we were living in a clutter of boxes. and I realized how much I hate clutter. I know it was necessary, but it was making my mind cluttered as well and I just felt messy and like I couldn't wait to be in the new place, unpacked, and organized. I figured this would bring back the peace a normal routine and clean house brings me. It was just this week, I was listening to a preaching. A preaching that talked about the importance of walking in obedience especially when it comes to our finances. Dr. Mark Jobe on Mood...

Like ME!

How many likes will this get? Living in the social media age we live in, its often a question we ask before posting anything. A thought, our lunch, a new outfit, or an accomplishment in school or our career. Last week in school, my son was nominated to run for president of his kindergarten class as they learned about president's day. When he came home he told me he wasn't sure if they liked him and would vote for him. Of course, with me, that sparked a life conversation with him. "Not everyone is going to like you Manny, and that's ok!". I could even hear my moms voice in my head (in Spanish of course) telling me the very same thing growing up. I had to reassure him that all he could do was keep being the Emmanuel he is. With all his knowledge, likes, dislikes, habits, and mannerisms that are individual to him; he has to know he doesn't need anybody's approval to be just that. (except his parent's right now, but authority is another topic). I...