Are you stopping to breathe this Christmas season? Taking a moment to snuggle with your child and gaze at the glow and sparkle of the tree? I hope so.
Christmas is about wonder, and every mom or dad who’s held newborn son or daughter, marveling at tiny features, knows what wonder is.
My newest grandson, Zaccai, was born December 17th. I’m experiencing a fresh wave of wonder myself.
Every child is a stunning miracle, a priceless gift. Every baby is a blessing. At the same time, every birth puts the fear of God in us.
How shall I raise this little one? What if I get this whole parenting thing wrong, and my child suffers for it?
Who on earth is capable of shaping the character and destiny of a person from infancy to adulthood?
Every mom feels a bit like Mary when the angel Gabriel visited her and announced she would be the mother of the Messiah. Every dad can relate on some level to Joseph when the angel in his dream informed him he would be raising God’s son.
Every parent feels that uncertainty, that chilling trepidation:
Wait. Who, me?
Truth is, God doesn’t pick us to be parents because of our capability. He picks us because his ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8), and because he has a perfect plan.
You are the perfect mom or dad for your little one.
This is perhaps the harder part of the wonder. It’s one thing to believe that your son or daughter is the perfect child for you. It’s another to believe you are the perfect mom or dad for him or her.
In fact, if you’ve been at this for any length of time, you may roll your eyes at the thought — or even come close to tears.
Maybe your recent epic parent fail is staring you in the face. Or maybe there’s a hundred little mess-ups you can point to.
Here’s the thing: By “perfect,” I’m not referring to a record of performance. I’m not talking about your “A” game. I’m talking about God’s way of ordering things.
You are just the right character for this part in the grand story he is writing. You are just the player he wants for this role.
True, you’re not perfect. Mary and Joseph weren’t perfect, either. They were flawed sinners. Yet God chose them to raise his Son — and he chose you to raise other children, who also belong to him.
This is not about managing an impressive record. It’s about saying yes to God’s plan, trusting that he will provide what is needed at every step.
Maybe this Christmas, you are brand-new to this parenting adventure. Or maybe you’ve been doing this for years. Either way, this is a good season to respond like Mary and Joseph — marveling and pondering the wonder of the impossible responsibility given to you:
But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart…And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him...And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. –Luke 2:19, 33, 40
God picked your child for a particular destiny. He picked you to help shape that destiny in a way no one else can.
As you celebrate the incarnation of God the Son, whose name is “Wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 6:9), thank him for your special role and his more-than-enough grace.
Thank him for choosing you — the perfect parent for the children with whom he has blessed you.
Photo credit: Daniel Maynes
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