Reflection
By Shelly Schumacher
“The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”
1 John 2:17
Being female in today’s culture can be a difficult task. When my daughter was in second grade, one of her classmates told her she probably should not eat dessert during lunch and she could stand to give up a few sweets. While she does not turn down an ice cream sundae today, she does compare herself to those around her. Today’s girls long to measure up, to fit in and to be just like the airbrushed images they see in the pages of a tabloid. Even at the tender age of eight, it seems so much better to be Hannah Montana than the person God created.By Shelly Schumacher
“The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”
1 John 2:17
As an adult it is easy to see folly in this childlike longing. I know it is not likely that they will be rock stars (if for no other reason than their father is not Billy Ray Cyrus!). However, as I examine my own behaviors, I see that my daughters are simply a reflection of the woman modeled before them.
How often do I desire to be someone else? Not necessarily a different person, but a better form of me. I yearn for the legs of an Olympic runner and the toned body of an elite athlete. When I examine it based on my example, my daughters’ desire to change their personas simply shows the discontent I mirror in my own life.
In his first letter, John is writing to fellow Christians in an effort to build up their faith in Christ Jesus. Much like the Christians today, they struggled with worldly values and found it hard to be set apart. In a gentle and fatherly way, John reminds them that this life is temporary and fleeting. Instead of focusing on the pull of the world, they should set their sights on eternal things, knowing that the rewards of doing God’s work will last forever.
As my husband and I guide our daughters in their faith, I often need to remind myself to look in the mirror to see the example with which I am leading. My hope and desire is that, as their mother, I will help them to see their actions with an eternal perspective knowing that they will find prizes far greater than front row seats at a Hannah Montana concert.
GOING DEEPER:
1. In what ways do you measure your life against the barometer of the world?
2. Do you struggle with being content with who God created you to be? If so, in what area(s) of your life do you struggle?
FURTHER READING:
1 Corinthians 7:31; Mark 3:35; Ephesians 6:6; Hebrews 10:36
