E-mail Encouragement: Leaving a Mark

Kids are very impressionable. The closer and more trustworthy a person is to a child, the more they are able to make an impression on them. Typically this is the parents and/or grandparents. However, to an extent, we all have the potential to make an impression on a child. Each time you are around them, there is a certain amount of impression you leave behind. That brings us to this week's quote...

A child's life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark. ~ Chinese Proverb

Oliver is definitely impressionable. He has begun reacting to us, as parents, and it is such a fun time to see him go through his different stages of development. These stages are not just physical (holding head up, scooting, talk-screaming, etc.), but they also involve trust and recognition. Oliver smiles, what seems like forever, when Aubrey and I are talking to him. I love any chance I get to be around him, hold him, and help to mold him into a little boy. I have high hopes as to what he will be like in his character when he matures. One of the ways to get him to where I would like him to be is to consistently model and teach him the character I want him to develop.

Two applications...One, how about your "Jesus-impression" on every person you come in contact with? How are you modeling your Christianity? Are you making a positive impression or a negative one. Negative would be saying you're a Christian, but then acting nothing like that outside of the assembly. Two, what types of marks has God had on your life? Something similar between us and a child is that we both learn who to trust by being around them. Your lack of trust in God may be as a result of not letting Him make an impression on you. Not only do you make impressions on others, at the same time, be impressionable!

The next time you see a child, or even someone else, think about what impression you are giving them.

Enjoying Fatherhood ~