“I see everything you do and I hear everything you say. That one dirty word you said in front of me the other day. I saw the way you acted when you were at the mall. I heard you disrespect your parents, but you didn’t care at all. You know, we had a youth event and you told me you’d be there. But, when I turned around to look, you had missed it for the fair. You may think I am little and the things you do don’t matter, but that’s not true at all. I watch every move you make, if you stand or if you fall. So, before you take action be sure you think it through. Why? Because I am a little one looking up to you.” — “Be the Example” {by Lydia Rubelsky}
As a young girl, I can remember always wanting to be like “the big girls.” Is this not the dream of most little girls? I can remember thinking to myself, “I hope I am as pretty as she is when I am older,” “I hope I am like her one day,” or “I sure do wish she would talk to me. I wish she would be my friend.” Children are always looking for role models — people that they can look up to. Whether you know it or not, there are little eyes looking up to you in every way. Little eyes that are looking for encouragement and friendships. Do you remember being that little girl who wanted “the big girl” to be her friend? I do. But, there weren’t many older girls who saw the need to do so. You see, we all have people watching us. And the power of influence lies within our hands. The words we speak, the actions we take, the things we wear. No matter what you may think, you will always have little eyes watching you. 1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example of the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” Our job as Christians is to be “an example of the believers.” And this includes setting an example to those younger than us. Here are 4 ways that we influence children.
1. Our Clothing Choices — (1 Timothy 2:9-10) It’s true! Younger girls are always looking at how the older girls dress. How are you choosing to dress? Are your dresses too short, jeans too tight, or shirts too low? 1 Timothy 2:9-10 says, “Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.” The clothes we choose to wear should be an example of the believers. Little eyes are watching the way we dress for worship and the way we dress when we are with our friends. Are we consistent? Those younger than us are looking to us for how they ought to dress. Are we dressing to please God or please ourselves?
2. Our True Love — (Luke 16:13) I am not talking about the “true love” between a Disney Prince and Princess. I am talking about our true love. You see, children can see where our true love lies. Is our true love found in the world? Or, is our true love found in the Lord? Little eyes notice the way we act in worship and the way we act outside of worship. Are we a different person depending on the situation? In Luke 16:3 we read, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Do we act like the Lord is our true love on Sunday morning, but stay home from Bible class on Wednesday nights to hang out with friends? Little ones notice our attendance. They notice the things that reign supreme in our lives. Whether we realize it or not, those little children notice when we’re not at worship. They notice when we skip youth events to go out and party with the “cool” kids. They notice who/what sits on the throne of our heart. Is God your true love? Or, is the world your true love? You can only serve one.
3. Our Respect for Authority — (Ephesians 6:1) America is producing a generation of unthankful, ungrateful, unruly, and disrespectful kids. It is very rare to hear a child say, “please” or “thank you.” Kids are no longer taught to respect their parents. You can go to Walmart and hear children screaming at their parents, telling their parents what to do. We need to be an example of the believers in our respect for authority. When we disrespect our parents, those little eyes notice. And those children might go home and be disrespectful to their parents because they saw us do it. Ephesians 6:1 says, “Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.” We must set an example to children as to how they should treat their parents. Not just respect for their parents, but also respect for all authority. Do you have respect for authority?
4. Our Listening Ears — (James 1:19) I am a babysitter. I absolutely adore children. I always have and I always will. Over the years, I have come to realize that one of the most important jobs of a babysitter is to listen. Children love to tell you about everything, even the smallest of things. They notice when you’re hearing them, but not listening. Showing genuine interest in what they have to say shows that you truly care. When a toddler is trying to tell you a story, but you’re busy with their baby sister, they are quick to tell you that you aren’t listening. It’s true! James 1:19 says, “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” Children want you to listen to their stories and maybe even tell some stories of your own. Do you interact with them? Are you an example of the believers through your listening ears? Take the time to talk to those younger than you and show that you truly love them. You may think that listening to them is such a small, silly thing, but you like it when people listen to you, right? Be quick to hear and slow to speak. Little eyes notice if you listen to them. They notice if you care. You liked it when those “older girls” took time to listen to you, did you not?
Being “the older girl” is a mighty big job, especially for Christians. Little eyes are constantly watching our every move. We must be an example to the young children in all of our actions. Reach out to them and show them Christ in you! The most important thing we can do for children is stay faithful to God. Kids watch us. Their eyes are on us all the time. Are we being an example of the believers? Whether for good or bad, we are impacting lives. We need to make sure we are leaving footprints of a Christian for them to follow. The opportunity to change little lives is in our hands. We have the impact to change a little life forever. Let’s make sure we are creating a Godly pattern for them to follow
By Lydia Rubelsky
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Welcome! We are so glad you stopped by. Come Fill Your Cup is a group of Christian ladies dedicated to equipping women for study and service. We know you are busy and that life’s hectic pace pulls you in so many directions, but you can’t truly be the woman God desires unless you take time to fill your own cup…not with spa days (though we love a good spa!) or the latest novel…but with God’s Holy Word. We want to help you with that! Our goal is to reach you in the midst of your busy day and give you encouragement, education, and fellowship as you strive to live the life God has laid before you. Our prayer is that we can help fill your cup so that you, in turn, can overflow to all those around you. So, as we like to say…come fill your cup, and let it overflow!