30 June, Monday — Holiness is found in the details, the small steps

Jun 30 – First Martyrs of the Church of Rome

These holy men and women are also called the “Protomartyrs of Rome”. They were accused of burning Rome by Nero, who burned Rome to cover his own crimes. Some martyrs were burned as living torches at evening banquets, some crucified, and others were fed to wild animals. These martyrs died before Sts. Peter and Paul, and are called “disciples of the Apostles. . . whom the Holy Roman church sent to their Lord before the Apostles’ death”.

– http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=3385

Gen 18:16-33
Mt 8:18-22

“Follow me…”

I grew up with dogs and cats. Our dogs, all German Shepards, always loved my Dad the best and they followed him EVERYWHERE. So much so that when he mowed the grass (usually twice a week during spring, summer & fall in the Alabama heat) Cesar, then years later, Barron would walk behind him, back and forth, back and forth. Wherever my dad led, they followed.

If you’ve ever had dogs (and sometimes even cats) you’ve probably noticed that most of the time they follow you around the house too. This is even true of kids. Most of the time, they too follow you — whichever room you’re in, they’re in.  (I know all moms are collectively remembering back to when (or maybe it is today!) we thought, “Can I just go to the bathroom by myself?) This is even true when you leave the house and venture out. Pets and little ones will simply follow. They follow because they know (even subconsciously) that we are ‘theirs’; that they are ours – that we love them. That they belong to us. That by following us, they are safe – because we are their protector, their shelter, that we love them and that ‘no harm will come’ as long as they are at our side.

Pets and children (unless they are taught differently) follow their parents. It’s innate in the makeup of a baby. Following us is what they do. With our pets, their whole lives; but with our kids, they usually stop following – at least following closely – by the time they become teenagers. And it escalates as they start high school and get their drivers’ license and grow into adulthood.

So as a parent, our hope – our daily prayer – is that they continue to FOLLOW US, is it not? Because we know that if they follow us, they will be safe – we will be able to keep them safe from the natural pitfalls of life and the always tragic temptations of the enemy. We parent when we lead our children, knowing they are not equipped to make all the daily decisions that affect them. Daily decisions as simple and mundane, and sometimes difficult. We, parents, need to be leading as children are not yet able to ‘see’ further than the minute – the want – in front of them. Children shouldn’t be deciding what time to take a nap, what time to go to bed, what and when to eat. Children don’t see the bigger picture, i.e. know how the day will develop, they don’t remember how eating/sleeping/being on a handheld device will negatively affect them physically, mentally and emotionally. Parents know that too much/too little (sugar, carbs, protein, dairy, screen time, sleep time), too late/too early (to nap, to bed) affected them the last time. Children don’t have the experience of their parents. The parent should be enforcing “FOLLOW ME” – when parents follow their children instead, things easily become out of balance, out of order. And down the road, there will be significant problems for the parents, but even more so for the children and adult children. If children aren’t taught and disciplined to FOLLOW ME (the parent), life is hard for everyone, not just now but tomorrow, for them and those that are in their space. “FOLLOW ME”, says the good parent.

And thus it is with us, is it not? Not only has He given us that guidance in His written word, but it is in our DNA to follow our loving Father. When we choose to follow our impulsive wants instead of our Heavenly Father, we too, suffer. Maybe not immediately – and that is tragic because it allows us to dig a ditch for ourselves that can become so deep, we suffer greatly when we try to climb out – but suffer even worse when we choose to stay in the ditch.

As a Christian, our desire is to raise our children in an environment that will help them grow into compassionate, servant-focused, productive adults who have learned, and desire to follow HIM. This happens more often when children grow up and realize that during their life in their home, they witnessed parents walk it out every day following Christ. Not perfectly, but intentionally. 

And we have that same example, do we not? Of course, the difference is that our Heavenly Father gave us a Saviour who did walk it out perfectly – holiness in the details, all the details. So, let’s work on FOLLOWING HIM in the smallest of details, in even the smallest of steps. 

(Today’s OXYGEN by Gina Ulicny)

Prayer: Father God, your Son gave us all we need to live this life on earth so that we will be with You for all eternity, ‘FOLLOW ME’. Lord, help us to walk in the light, to walk in Your ways. Lord, protect us from following anyone, including our own sinful desires, other than Christ.

Thanksgiving: Lord God Almighty – thank you for the light that surrounds us and shows us the path to walk on, the path that the feet of Christ has created for us.