Mama's, We Aren't Alone
“They hated me for no reason at all.” -John 15:25
I came across this verse the other day, for the first time ever, or possibly it was just the first time I could relate. Maybe that’s because I was having a particularly hard day with my daughter who hated me because I was helping her with her homework. And this was the afternoon of the same morning when I could have died from the look she gave me when I helped her squeeze the last of the toothpaste out of the tube. Jesus was hated for no reason at all. Just for being himself…….. loving others like crazy, doing what was right, leading people toward righteousness, and teaching patience and understanding, he was hated. Those who hated Him didn’t understand Him. Those who killed Him felt uncomfortable around Him. Jesus was hated because with His love came discipline and hard truths and challenges thought to be too hard. Mama’s, does any of this sound similar to your day? How many of you have children who hate you for loving them well?
I am struggling more now than ever with this circumstance. It is new experience for me and an uncomfortable place to be. It’s very frustrating when my daughter gives me dirty looks and eye rolls and argues everything I say. In those moments my feelings are hurt and I start to doubt. But Jesus said, in John 15:1, “If the world hates you, just remember that it has hated me first.” I am reminded that Jesus has experienced the same rejection that I do. He was ridiculed and rejected for loving well. Knowing this takes my thoughts of anger and disappointment to a place of better- understanding, patience and forgiveness. I see that my child only gets mad because she is too young to understand why I am discipling, or expecting her best work on a homework assignment. I don’t have to take her arguments personally but, instead, relate it to immaturity. She is only mad at me because she feels threatened by my love and care for her. Her understanding is limited to a 9 year old’s knowledge of parenting and in turn makes me a big jerk. It feels as though we are hated for no reason, just like Jesus. How many times do we give up everything for our kids only to be misunderstood and disrespected? Unfortunately, we have probably treated Jesus in this very same way. We have misunderstood Him, felt threatened by His conviction and have been angry at Him. Jesus knows all too well what we are going through, and we can be encouraged to know that we aren’t alone.
Mama, be lifted up today. Know that your love for your child is so very important. Your consistency in teaching your child right from wrong is the most important thing you can do for him or her. Don’t be discouraged when they don’t see why you do the things you do. Don’t let your feelings get too hurt when they misunderstand your love for being a big meanie head.