A couple of weeks ago, I took my boys out for lunch as we prepared for our family monthly meeting. We enjoyed our meal and as it was threatening to rain, we had to hurry so as to start our meeting and finish in time to get back home.
As we started our meeting, which I had slotted in my diary like three weeks before, i realised that I didnt have an agenda, and this time round, I wanted us to approach it differently. As I sat there, the boys looked at me and I wondered what to tell them. Suddenly, i whispered a prayer and asked for the Lords guidance. There and then, I decided to ask each of them to review our previous meetings, learnings etc and evaluate themselves. I was shocked at how far this went! My eyes were opened beyond imagination ... the results were amazing!
To guide the evaluation, I asked the boys to share our family principles so that each of them would evaluate himself on given each of the principles. I further shared the use of a "scale" - 0 - 100%, that they were to use! As I explained this, I was not sure that we would really yield the results we did - remembering that I had not prepared for this meeting. As it turned out to be, the Lord had good plans for us in store.
So, each of the boys would pick each principle and rate himself. For example one of our family principles is "faithfulness". In this regard, each would assess himself on how faithful he has been not only at home with us but out there - at school, in church and all around them. I further asked each of them to rate each other. Given how this went. I asked them to rate "mum" as well. I was yet to be elated by the results of the meeting.
As I sat down and took the notes, I was amazed at how these young ones thoughtfully considered every % that they wld rate themselves and I.
Back at home, I compiled each person's evaluation into small cards and kept aside. After a day or two, I shared these cards with them and asked them to copy each of the results into their own cares and use them to improve on the areas reviewed weak by the evaluation. In a different meeting, we shared and said that "the contents of the cards were now to be removed from the pockets - or bags, or wherever they had been stored, stored into the hearts and thereafter put into practice!
It is amazing how this process has worked out for our good! Besides, knowing in heart that "I ought to be faithful", "I ought to respect all in authority" etc, we are transferring this knowledge now into practice! Go ahead and respect! Be faithful, be loving, be courageous! Yes act now! Its action time!
So what is it that you and I tell our children that they ought to know, and we also know it, it is deep sitted in our hearts and we do not activate it! The Bible tells us in James 1:22 that:
"But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth]. Be doers and not hearers! Only that way are we able to transform ourselves and others around us!
Act now and live!
