Hebrews Chapter 1

“You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions.”
Hebrew 1:9, NASB

Prayer Over Our Children

Anoint my child with the oil of joy and set her heart to love righteousness and hate wickedness. Speak to my little one, oh God, that she might know You. I pray she will know the radiance of Your glory and the sustaining power of Your Word. ... 

Purify her from sin so that she may worship You, who sits on the right hand of the majesty of heaven and whom angels worship. Send Your holy angels to minister to her and to fan the flames of faith within her, so that she will bow before Your throne. May she inherit salvation from You who laid the foundations of the earth and created the heavens by the work of Your hands. Kindle a love and desire to serve You, who does not perish, remains the same, and whose years will never end, lasting forever and ever.

So, it appears my sweet, innocent, little girl is becoming the class snitch.

“It was an emergency,” she told us at the dinner table, “Kira was laying down on her belly in class and I needed to let the teacher know,” she said with firm conviction - or was it a little bit of self-righteousness?

My husband and I stared at each other across the table, both at a loss of how to best address or speak to this issue of snitching. 
     
It was not the first time, or even the 5th time that Sweet one had proudly boasted of her tattling tongue. Even according to our little Sweet pea, the teacher had already taken her aside for a gentle talk.
     
“After all, “she reasoned, “they know who is telling on them.” 
     
But, eager to tattle on her little classmates, Sweet pea remained all too willing. She relayed in serious tones how Kelley took off her shoes in class and did not put them on again. She spoke of how Evan left out his work and did not put it away properly. She told of how Heather talked at the bookshelf when she should have remained quiet
     
“It was an emergency,” she repeated with a nod of her little head as she shoved bread into her mouth, “Miss Julie needed to know.” I stared helplessly at my husband, wondering how in the world our little girl’s tongue could be tamed, when a thought entered my mind.
     
“Sweet pea,” I gently asked, “before you went to Miss Julie, did you try speaking to your classmate first?” Sweet one did not miss a beat.
     
“No,” she answered resolutely, “No, I told Miss Julie right away.” I slid a sidewise glance at my husband for moral support and then plunged in.
     
“Hmmm,” I mused, “You know,” I slowly reflected aloud, “Jesus tells us to first go and talk to a friend directly when that friend is doing the wrong thing.” I smiled down on Sweet pea.
     
“Before you tell Miss Julie, it would be the right thing to first talk to yoru friends and encourage them to do what is right.” Sweet pea just looked at me, a puzzled look on her face. Inspiration flashed through my brain.
     
“Do you remember the song that is based upon that Bible verse which tells us to encourage one another and build each other up?” I asked with renewed energy. Sweet pea’s face lit up and she smiled.
     
“Encourage one another,” she sing-sang with a big smile, “and build each other up! Build each other up!” Her fingers danced through the air with excited hand gestures. 
     
“Build each other up!” She finished with a flourish, her hands now fully extended out in the air. Sweet pea beamed at me through her bangs, her smile reaching ear to ear. My own grin answered back.
     
“That’s right!” My head nodded vigorously, “and speaking to your friends to encourage them to do the right thing is another way you can build them up.” Sweet pea’s brow wrinkled, her little preschooler brain trying to understand.
     
“Talk to your friends first and encourage them to do the right thing,” I explained, patting her arm
     
“That is the loving thing to do.” Sweet pea looked up at me with wide eyes and then glanced at her Daddy, who smiled and nodded.
     
” Then, if that doesn’t work, and they still insist on doing the wrong thing, go ahead and tell Miss Julie,” I continued with a smile, “but we should always lovingly encourage our friends to do what is right.” A smile broke over Sweet pea’s face.
     
“Okay, Mommy!” she agreed, her face animated once more, “I will!”
   
Just as with Sweet pea, we are to encourage each other to do the right thing, to build each of us up in the Lord, and keep ourselves accountable with each other. God does not tell us it is the most fun or comfortable thing to do, to go to our brother and sisters when they have sinned and to hold them in accountability to the Lord, but He does command us to love our brothers and sisters and to go to them when they have sinned, walked away, or slid from the path of righteousness. We are to go in all gentleness and love with hopes and prayers for restoration and reconciliation – not with judgement or self-righteousness. 
     
​It is just like teaching our little ones to do the right thing, we are not to correct them or rebuke them in harshness or anger, but rather gently care for them and correct out of love, patience, and all gentleness. So, as we seek to be a better brother and sister to our fellow faith followers, may we also seek to correct, rebuke, and discipline our children with all the love and grace we should offer mature brethren. It isn’t’ always easy, but God asks us to hold each other accountable to the word so that we inherit eternal life and know the fruits of His goodness with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. Let us all strive to encourage one another this day and build each other up in Christ with all love and tenderness of heart.

A Parent’s Prayer

Oh Lord, please let love abound in my heart today and overflow from me into the lives of my children and family. May Your love infuse all that I say and do, how I interact with my children, and with the thoughts that fill my mind. Oh Father, please forgive me for the many times I have responded out of anger and frustration rather than in love. Let me build up and encourage my family and not tear them down with my tongue or actions. Change my ways, oh God, and make me ever new.