“You are special.” ~Mister Rogers

Parents of Millennials have certainly drilled into their children the notion that they are indeed special. We let them know under no uncertain terms that they were important enough to stop everything. Baseball games usurped family meals. Ballet at the studio miles away supplanted quiet evenings with books and board games at home. 

Whatever it took. Anything to let our kids know they are special! And parents are there by their side cheering cheers of

S-P-E-C-I-A-L!

Special, special!

You you do so swell!

Not that baseball and ballet and those type of activities are bad, it’s just that we stressed them to the point of being stressed. We didn’t teach our children the joy of simply living and living simply, of being content doing nothing – nothing but the finest life has to offer: good food, interesting conversation, music, and classic books, to name a few.

So when they weren’t on their smart phones, the girls posed and plie´d and sashayed in front of hundreds of square feet of mirrors for hours a day and the boys (when they weren’t playing video games) listened as noisy crowds cheered on their self-important efforts to hit a small ball and run in a circle night after night after night of their childhood.

How about if we have our kids memorize a new verse? This one: “You are not that special” Galatians 6:3b.

The verse in its entirety says,

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.” (Galatians 6:2-3 NLT)

Go ahead and give your kids plenty of activities as long as those activities serve the needs of others and not just themselves. Beware of giving them the false impression that the world and even their parents’ lives are centered on them. If you’ve made Jesus the Lord of your life and family, then He is the center. Not the munchkins.

Got this a little convoluted in your family? Join us in this plain and simple prayer:

Father,

What a rat race I have created. And, I might add, a monster or two. Lord, I want to set this family aright. We have activities up and out the ying yang. This isn’t peaceful.

Prince of Peace, please help me to prioritize my family’s activities to reflect the things You have called us to do and to make the most of these short precious years together. You have called my children to be people who know how to share others’ burdens and not to live their lives simply for their own pleasure.

Reboot this family to Your desires and good will. We need You. I fall on my knees, and ask for Your help restoring Your principles and the fruit of the Holy Spirit to our household. Lead me, Father, moment by moment. Inspire me Jesus and let Your peace be the umpire I pay closest attention to. 

Give us more of You and less stuff.

Give us more of Your presence and less indulgences.

Give us more of Your joy and less rigmarole.

Give us more of Your love and less of our selfish flesh.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

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