Tag Archives: perspective

Old Man Abraham had no kids at all, yet he was promised a “nation” worth of kids in his old age. I don’t think Abraham always had perspective of what the purpose of his family would be. A lot of times I wonder if us modern-day people really understand the purpose of family.

To some parents, parenthood is living vicariously through their kids. I’m thinking about “stage moms” (hence the “Toddlers in Tiaras” picture) and dads who push their kids to be the next great athlete (see Earl Woods or the Williams sisters’ dad).

To some parents, parenthood is a transitory thing, “I just want to raise them right. When they’re off in the real world, I’ll keep my fingers crossed.”

To some parents, parenthood is pleasing their kids, “I just wanted you to be happy and to have everything that I didn’t have.” Maybe another way to put these things is to “focus on the family.”

But I think Abraham from the get-go understood that he wasn’t supposed to focus on his family. How could he? He didn’t have a child, and his wife was old. Beyond that, though, there was always a higher purpose for his family. He was supposed to focus his family. God preempted all of this family stuff with Abraham with a promise:

“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you…”

Most of us like to stop there. I mean, who doesn’t want to have bunch of kids and be blessed? Sounds like the American dream. But there’s more.

“I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”

There was a purpose behind Abraham’s family. Yes, they would be blessed; but, more than that, they will “be a blessing” and “all the peoples on the earth” will be blessed through them.

…

Is it any different for our kids? How do we lose focus?

I was literally interrupted writing this post (hence the ellipses) by Evie, who was crying in her crib. She needed attention. Mom was tired. I grabbed her and started to talk to her. I put on some Raffi (yeah, Spotify) and started singing with her and ended up having some great pre-work, daddy/daughter time.

How do we lose focus?

Our kids demand attention.

Whether it’s because of needs or wants, our kids are going to usually let you know what they’re wanting at every moment. And, as a parent feeling responsible for them, we’re going to do everything we can to communicate love or figure out problems. I see it with the mom whose son is flipping out in the checkout line at Foods Co because he wants a candy bar. I see it in the high school mom who doesn’t know what to do because her daughter is caught up in relationship drama. Our kids demand our attention.

Our kids are so easy to focus on.

I was sitting there just holding Evie last night, and I was thinking to myself, “Wow, this is an awfully cute baby!” We have these moments. We love to watch them, see them grow, see them succeed, watch them shine, etc. Our kids are easy to focus on.

Even so, I think God is calling us to have a deeper perspective of parenting; and I think Abraham’s life is going to be helpful to us as we look at this more in subsequent posts.

We focus on the family.

God calls us to focus the family.

More on that later…

Posted by Paul Mannino in paul Tags: abraham, attention, being a blessing, crying baby, cute baby, daddy daughter time, fatherhood, focus the family, focusing on the family, living vicariously, losing focus, orange dad, orange parents, parenthood, perspective, purpose, raffi, relationship drama, spotify, tantrums, toddlers in tiaras