What Kind of Child Are You?

Imagine that your parents are the most amazing parents, loving, forgiving, kind, and generous with their abundant resources. You know that your parents are wholly good and that they love you, love you unconditionally and without end. They have always supported you, helped you to know the difference between right and wrong, and provided structure to keep you safe, while inspiring you to discover your gifts and talents and encouraging you to be the best that you can be. You know that they will be there for you no matter what.

Now imagine that you have grown up and moved out of your childhood home, living in a home of your own. Do you stay in regular contact with your parents, sharing both happy and sad details of your life with them, seeking their wisdom when you are in need of guidance, and always asking if there is anything that you can do for them? Are visits to your parents regular and often, with holidays extra special times to be together, reflecting on memories and giving gifts of gratitude? Are you generous with your time, resources, and energy without needing to be specifically asked, ensuring that their needs are met, their resources not wasted, and their loving desires fulfilled?

Or, perhaps, you only take the time to visit your parents on the big holidays, during which times you may or may not give grateful gifts. Do you only reach out to call and converse with your parents occasionally, sometimes out of habit, which conversations are very brief, sometimes out of guilt, which may or may not contain real concern or love for them?

Or do you never visit with your parents at all, only making contact when you want something from them?

Maybe, seeing yourself as independent and pursuing your own happiness, you don’t even think about them, as if they didn’t exist.

So … what kind of child are you?

It’s a vitally important question to answer, one with both immediate and eternal consequences for the mind, body, heart, and soul — because you and I are both children of God.

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It saddens me when I hear people talk about religion as “just not for me.” I’m not religious because “it’s my thing” or because I’m “really into God.” I just know where I come from and what kind of child I want to be for my Creator.

Sisters and brothers, it’s never too late to do the right thing.

© 2020 Christina Chase

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Feature Photo by Natalya Zaritskaya on Unsplash