Some people inspire younger relatives to cringe at the thought of becoming “just like Mom/ Dad/ Grandma/ Grandpa/ Auntie Mim.” Since there’s at least one in every extended family, we’ve probably all had that thought.
Next time it surfaces, instead of squashing it, consider it. Look at the person you don’t want to be. What is it you want to escape? Why? What choices or traits do you think shaped this person?
Do you see glimpses of these things in yourself? If so, neither shudder nor resign yourself to meet your fate. Bring those characteristics – and any other potential trouble spots – to God.
Don’t just ask for strength of will to bury them. Ask Him to change you.
© Janet Sketchley, 2011
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For devotionals, reviews and conversation, stop by Janet Sketchley's blog, God with Us: Finding Joy.
I agree, burying stuff is usually not a good idea...it often comes back to haunt...
ReplyDeleteGood thoughts as we look to changes in the New Year!
Naturally, when I was younger, I did not relish the thought of 'becoming' my mother'. Now that I'm older and wiser, I'm honored to be 'like her' in so many ways. When you've had positive role models, aspiring to emulate them is a joy.
ReplyDeleteMost of the time, the virtues in others that we are encouraged to imitate are good. So it makes sense to consider them in the light of the Word of God and go from there.
ReplyDeleteOur eldest daughter admitted to finding herself more like her mother, despite her efforts not to! But by that time she recognized the qualities she had gained.
ReplyDeleteOf course, that could be disingenuous--something like, 'mother must be great because she's like me!'
Eventually, adult children admire their mothers' qualities because they are prompted by love, although they may not have regarded them so in their youth.
Ah, how much wiser we become with age. I often chuckled & rolled my eyes at some of my mother's sayings. Now I am sounding more and more like her each day. I am aso surprised how wise some of her words were! Thanks, Janet, for helping me think of my momma today!
ReplyDeleteOops! I need to make sure it's clear I'm not taking shots at my loved ones! And I too admire things about my parents and other elders that I didn't understand as a child. We understand more as we experience the same situations.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, becoming more like my parents would be a good thing for me. And I don't know of anyone in my extended family who does/did not have positive things to emulate even if the negative ones overshadow them.
Everyone has a few traits we'd rather not pick up (and they're probably working to get rid of them) and that's what I was thinking of. Some relatives, either close or distant to us, have particularly dominant negative traits. I'm sure we'd still benefit from modeling their positive traits, but it's those unpleasant ones that can seem to define them... and those are the ones we really want to avoid.
And the negative ones can be such good teachers. Usually the things that disturb us most are the very things that endanger us too. If we can take their warning, we can have a happier ending.
When I read the title, I was thinking of our heavenly Father and how we are to be increasingly like Jesus...how He is to be seen more and more in us as time goes by. Now there's a family member worth resembling!
ReplyDeleteYummy food for thought in the comments as well as in the original piece.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!