It’s no mistake that God gave women the amazing ability to multi-task. Moms are on the front lines bringing up their children.
And if I were reminded every day how my understanding of the purpose of children drastically changes the way I raise them, it wouldn’t be enough.
See, we live in layers, with all the layers, ideally, blending together.
I have to pick up stuff all day, wash dishes, prepare meals, sweep and mop, wipe off countertops, get children dressed, vacuum….and a bunch more. That’s the physical layer and it takes up a lot of time.
But another layer of responsibility is raising whole children, with purpose, for the glory of God. It includes a relational layer, a spiritual layer, an emotional layer, all intertwined with the physical.
Thus the grave importance of multi-tasking….being always aware, prepared and engaged in the full-orbed duty of motherhood.
This kind of multi-tasking comes with a great price. It can only be tackled with the stamina of believing our children are not OURS, but have been given to us by the Lord, and that we will give an account of our stewardship over them.
It means being there to steer, direct, remind and shape their attitudes, responses and behavior to become more like Christ’s. It means becoming more like Him ourselves, perhaps the greatest price.
And it’s important to know that this shaping of lives only happens in the context of the physical layer. People become who they are, not at a yearly conference or at designated moments of spiritual focus, but in the common days, conforming to the influence most surrounding them. It is what happens in the ebb and flow of daily living that matters.
Mothers, when you are going about your physical work, you are also shaping people. Don’t forget it. Are you tuned enough to stop what you’re doing and explain the “how’s” and “why’s” of dealing with conflict?
Do you know that just as important as getting dinner on the table is taking time to encourage a child who is struggling, to show him his worth by looking to see what His Creator says about him?
Do you remember that your tantrum-throwing 3-year-old doesn’t need you to teach her that she is driving you crazy, but that her life will be riddled with trouble unless she learns to govern her spirit?
Multi-task like a warrior-Mom, raising soldiers for the Kingdom.
It’s all a big joke, I know, right. This slogan and many like it is a product of David and Goliath Tees. Free enterprise. I’m glad for it….the free enterprise, that is. Question is, in an age of “toleration” and banning stigmas at all costs (that is, stigmas of the right kind), there is yet a toleration for this kind of blatant slur against men and boys. Not only is there no outcry, as there would be against slander of any other people group, but apparently there is enough consumer support to keep the men-bashing coming.
