Bearing Fruit in Your Home(school)Sample

The Home continued

Let’s jump in and conclude from yesterday’s devotion.

3. Prune - Some seasons require certain things to be removed for greater growth and greater fruit. This is especially hard when it’s something our children love. As we remember the lessons from the watchtower (Day 1) and the vineyard (Day 2), we can confidently move forward that the Lord is faithful to guide us according to His good purposes.

4. Personal - We want to encourage our children to make their knowledge of God personal. This is why the olive grove lesson on Day 3 is so important: walking with the Lord is often something we teach powerfully through our example!

5. Patience - Growth takes time! Seeds don’t grow overnight. Some plants take longer to grow than we would like. Don’t grow weary in the good you are doing; instead, be strengthened in the Lord.

6. Provide - Provide opportunities for your children to serve and use God’s gifts to make an impact in the Kingdom of God. This will inevitably require some death to our flesh, preferences, or plans because it likely won’t be convenient or something within our comfort zone! Remember the farm. It’s all part of cultivating an environment for growth.

7. Power - Our children need to know of the life-transforming power of the Holy Spirit and that HE is the One who works in them, causing them to grow and change. It is frustrating to our kids, just as it is to us when they think they must obey or change by their own “willpower.”

8. Parent from a place of transparency - Let them see your walk with the Lord “up close.” This is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children, and it does not mean we need to be perfect! When one of my daughters was eight years old, she wrote the following:

“My mom is the best. She reads the Bible every morning because she wants us to grow in Christ. My mom smells sweet like candy, which smells delectable. She loudly yells. She cooks delicious food for us because we are hungry. She also unjoyfully drives us to certain places. My mom is compassionate. She conceals her anger. She is ecstatic when I get marvelous grades on math tests. She is very hospitable to everyone. She can put my family and me to bed, which is hard. My mom is the best mom ever.”

I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry upon reading this! This girl of mine knows me and knows me well! She wrote about my day’s positive and negative parts - victories and struggles. Don’t we all have victories and struggles, including our children? We are not perfect, but neither are they.

In fact, of all the “P” words on this list, notice that one very important word, “perfection,” is not on this list. Our kids can see, they need to see, that we aren’t perfect! This allows the Gospel to be seen in our homes: the grace, the forgiveness, the new mercies, and the hope that He alone can offer.

Let us remember the lessons from the watchtower, the vineyard, the olive grove, and the farm as we invite these Biblical principles and perspectives to shape our year, our home{school}, and us. We can be certain that our Master Gardener will produce fruit in its season, fruit in this season, for both our children and us.

We hope this plan encouraged you. Connect with Cara Blondo of The One Thing Desired blog and the Perspective Shifts podcast (or on Instagram) for more biblical encouragement and free resources.