Attitudes

Philippians 2:3-4

Parenting is not about us, it is a sacrificial endeavor. Parents spend much time and do many things in their childrens' interests rather than their own.

The attitude Paul describes leads to an environment of cooperation, not competition. Each person looks after the interests of the others with the goal of assisting the growth of all, rather than one person seeking to become better than the others. What a difference such an attitude would make in families!

Talk with your children about considering others before themselves--an important, and difficult, lesson for them to learn. Such basic lessons in kindness contribute to our children's emotional, social, and spiritual growth.

I hope you have found joy in fellowship and teamwork with other parents in your community. If we are united in Christ and have His Spirit, He will give us love to reach out to those around us. We can be comrades in our schools and communities, instead of competitive parents. Seek out the young, inexperienced, or new parent who is overwhelmed to the point of exhaustion. Look for and help the parent who is burned out and looking out for their own interests or those who care but exist in survival mode. Watch His joy overflow as you reach out with the good news of God's love.