Matthew 5 ends with Jesus saying, “Therefore you shall be perfect just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (v 48)

He completely knocks the wind out of us who compare ourselves to others and feel like we’ve obtained some sort of religious superiority. For anytime my eyes turn to the Lord, as my standard, I know I have so very far to go.

The enemy loves for us to compare ourselves to others rather than to Christ. When we compare ourselves to others, we will either bank too much on how well we are doing, or get depressed over how poorly we are compared to those around us.

But when we look to our loving, kind, merciful Father we see the better, perfect, right way to live our lives while (thankfully) also remembering we walk in rivers of mercy because of Jesus.

Let me add here, that as parents, we need to especially remember the Lord is our standard and our kids’ standard (and not us). This will help us when the enemy, and even our own children (they are smart), will try to use our own pasts against us.

For example— my high school and college music choices were less than stellar.

I loved me some rock ‘n roll. Those mostly, awful lyrics can still ring in my ears with just one note from one of those old songs.

So how could I ask my kids to turn off today’s garbage-filled, profanity-laced, sin-glorifying music when I used to listen to much the same?

Aren’t I being a hypocrite in this? (The enemy, other parents, and my kids have insinuated so)

But am I?
Nope.

And here’s why:

Because my kids are Christ followers, their standard is Jesus Christ, NOT their momma! Whew! And Hallelujah! 🙌🏻

As Christian parents, our goal is to continually point our kids to Jesus and right living. Mine are all adults now, but my goal is still to point to Jesus.

As Christian parents, we do not default to how we lived as the bar—but how Jesus would have us live.

I want my children to love Jesus and walk close to God and reap the amazing blessings that come from that, don’t you?

I want my kids to make better choices than I made. Don’t you?

So, I won’t let the enemy hold me back from encouraging them to do so because of my past choices with music or anything else.

Yep, Jesus is the standard for my kids and your kids–not us–and we can parent in that freedom.

Thank God.

readMatthew

kimjaggers.com