If Jesus was a parent.
I want to plant that picture in your mind.
Jesus as a parent.
Now with that picture in mind, read our verse for today.

She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Proverbs 31:27

Isn’t this just what Jesus does for us as His children?
He continually watches over us for our benefit and growth.
By His gift of the indwelling Spirit, by the power of His living and active word, and by the love that watches over us every moment of every day until Christ be formed in us.

I read a blog post the other day written by a young stay at home Mom who said she doesn’t know how to answer the question, “What do you do all day?”.
Should she stand there and list her activities from morning ’til night?
Should she defend her life choices?
Should she rehearse the long talks she and her husband had that led to their decision that she stay home and raise their kids?

Well, should this happen to you, you stay-at-home-Mom, just tell the nosey questioner this:
I watch over the ways of my household and I never eat the bread of idleness.
Then watch ’em back slowly away.

Here’s my own paraphrase of this verse, if I might be so presumptuous as to give one:

She observes carefully and accurately the behavior, attitudes, and interactions demonstrated by those whose care and management are her responsibility while never for a moment shirking her duties or engaging in selfish negligence.

This is the real work of mothering.
Sure, as moms we do lots of no-brainer stuff throughout the day.
Necessary stuff, but it’s not rocket science.
Yet, all throughout the day we are on duty like watchman on the walls of an ancient city.
We may stand at post all day without seeing anything on the horizon.
That’s part of the job.
Watching, even when nothing much is happening.

But, when something happens, Ta-Da, we are there to see it, hear it, and analyze it.
We’re on the spot and in the moment when a red flag goes up.
Something is said, or done that flashes “this needs instruction or correction”.

This is when you apply all that wisdom and kindness in Proverbs 31:26, and actually do the job God commissioned you to do.
You handle it to the best of your Spirit-controlled ability.

Back to my paraphrase above.
The word looks means to observe accurately.
This is the part that requires we rise above fatigue, inconvenience, frustration, embarrassment, or anger and actually try to see what has just been revealed to us—so that we’ll know what to that would be most helpful to the child.

Does he need:
~ instruction
~ correction
~ a nap or lunch
~ a hug or a story

You can hire a Nanny to provide child-care, but no one other than a child’s parents has the God given responsibility or gifts to really train up that child in the way he should go.
If you stay on that wall, watching day after day, God will reveal to you the deep needs of your child’s heart and mind. And He’ll equip you to meet those needs.

Eyes that look are common; eyes that see are rare.
J. Oswald Sanders
Spiritual Leadership

I’m asking that He gives you eyes that see.

Paul Tripp has a great set of CD’s on parenting.
He breaks it down into age defined categories and has a terrific list of questions that he and his wife used with their children when disputes arose.
I wish I’d had this information when my kids were young.
Do yourself a favor and get these CD’s.
http://www.paultripp.com/category/parenting

Been feeling unappreciated, unimportant, been feeling that you’re JUST a wife, JUST a mother?

This young husband has a word for you.

Yes, my wife is JUST a mother. JUST. She JUST brings forth life into the universe, and she JUST shapes and molds and raises those lives. She JUST manages, directs and maintains the workings of the household, while caring for children who JUST rely on her for everything. She JUST teaches our twins how to be human beings, and, as they grow, she will JUST train them in all things, from morals, to manners, to the ABC’s, to hygiene, etc. She is JUST my spiritual foundation and the rock on which our family is built. She is JUST everything to everyone. And society would JUST fall apart at the seams if she, and her fellow moms, failed in any of the tasks I outlined.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-walsh/youre-a-stay-at-home-mom-_b_4086126.html

The work you’re doing, it’s gold, silver, and precious stones.
Nothing can touch the work you’re doing.
It will abide forever.