Little boys know no shame.
They will strip down to nothing in seconds. Then they most likely run squealing through the
house out into the backyard without hesitation with a joyous free reckless
abandon. A mother is hard-pressed to stop them, much less, coral them without
at least a smirk.
When my daughter was three we left her in the house napping (we thought) while my husband and I painted the shutters in the front yard. Within two
minutes my dear sweet daughter stripped down to nothing and plastered her little body to the front picture window. There she was in her birthday suit with her little nose squished against the glass waving and grinning from ear to ear. No
shame, only freedom.
It causes me great pain to consider that my children will
experience shame in their life. They will make mistakes. They will experience
embarrassment. They will be will mocked. Thanks to their psychological genetic
pool, pangs of guilt may steal away their smiles. One day, they may hide. One day,
they may hesitate before looking in the mirror. One day their joy and innocence may be stolen.
One of the freedoms of Christ that I hope to build into
my children is an understanding of grace.
Grace to run free without shame.
Grace to stare into the
mirror and see a forgiven and loved face smiling back.
Grace to joyously run with
reckless abandon to our merciful Father.
Grace to be naked with imperfections washed away abandoning the ugly past behind
them.
Grace to be freed from the bonds of sin and shame.
I know my children will
grow out of silly streaking, I hope. For now, I treasure
their sweet innocence.
Thank you, Father, for freeing us from our bonds of slavery. Thank you for washing us clean and finding us perfect and beautiful. Thank you for your grace.
For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Hebrews 10:14
