Here’s how to find the hidden treasure buried in your family:
1. Walk into your bathroom.
2. Look in the mirror.
Your family’s hidden treasure is you. Well, actually your presence. There’s a subtle difference between you and your presence.
Your presence is God’s access to your family
You and me ourselves have proven pretty feeble change agents in our families, wouldn’t you say? What good have you caused by the power of your will and personality and wisdom alone? For me, not much.
Ahhh, but God’s presence through us goes places we can’t touch, places we don’t even know exist. Sure he can do that all by himself without you. But he created families as a place for us to influence each other while cooperating with him.
You . . . your family . . . you IN your family . . .
No accident.
I know what you’re thinking: “Aren’t there some other big strong grownups in this family that should model and cooperate with God too?” Oh yes. But right now it starts with you. And you’re enough to start with.
During our daughters’ Compassion child sponsorship trip last week, it was clear everyone assumed the difference one child could make in a family:
While changed circumstances sometimes change people, changed people always change circumstances.
One changed child eventually changes a family. A changed family will influence change in its church. Enough changed churches will transform a community. Changed communities change regions. Changed regions will in time change entire nations
– Wes Stafford
Do you believe that?
Because if big changes in a family can start with one little kid, what kind of changes can start with one big strong grownup actively cooperating with God?
Be the grownup cooperating with God
Don’t default to the common, “Well I tried and they just won’t change” or “Things can’t change because _____ (fill in the blank with your favorite reason). You’re better than that. God is bigger than that. You just haven’t seen how, yet.
Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge – Colossians 2.3
Christ in you, the hope of glory – Colossians 1.27
And if he is in you, where are those treasures? In you. And where are you? In your family.
That person in your bathroom mirror is God’s access to your family to influence them towards the things he has in mind.
Fortunately, since the things are in his mind, then the burden is on him to make it happen. You get the privilege of cooperating with God and watching what he does.
Put your family, your role, and the results, in God’s hands and lighten up
Realize the great power that comes from a peaceful attitude of trust. Find moments to give genuine attention knowing it’s an act of love and an act of curiosity about what God is up to in each family member.
These are the first attitudes and acts of a person cooperating with God, no matter what family you’re in. This is the beginning of modeling for your family. And these are things that can become contagious.
Then after a bit of peace and trust, attention and curiosity, you begin to notice more specific things God is up to in your family and you get more ideas for little ways to cooperate.
When have you seen an attitude become contagious?
