Practicing A Work Ethic

Caleb is home from college and we are drinking in his presence. Our house is filled with Joy because he is here. Ben can hardly stand to be more than a foot away from him. After all, he almost shriveled up and died when Caleb left. It's precious to see the love in his eyes when he looks up at his big brother.

This semester has seen so much maturation in Caleb. He has learned many lessons about time management, the dangers of procrastination, and how easy it is to go through all that money he earned during the summer that was supposed to last him through May. :)

I wrote about it in the "Pages in Our Heritage of Faith" Link Up for tomorrow, but a huge impression has been made on Caleb by watching the process of Kregg changing jobs this month. Caleb has seen how Kregg's diligence, hard work, and integrity have earned him a position of incredible responsibility and trust. 

He came home from college ready to work. 


Kregg offered to pay him to do several things around the "Conderosa" during his break and he has been "up and at 'em," working hard and with the heart of a servant. It is so precious. 


It hasn't always been this way. As much as we try to teach our children a strong work ethic, they still have to choose to "buy in." We can talk to them until we are blue in the face. We can impose consequences, offer incentives, model the behavior. But we can't change their hearts. The Holy Spirit has to change their hearts. And so we pray. We pray for that very thing to happen. And He will move on our behalf.


So much of our parenting comes down to that Truth, doesn't it? We can do everything we think of to "help" them make wise choices, have the correct values, practice godly habits, love the Word, but we cannot change their hearts. Only the Lord can do that. When I walk in that Truth, it helps me parent better. When I don't, it tends to end up in a "power struggle," my will against theirs. And that does not bear godly fruit in any of our lives. 


As a parent, the best I can do is to pray and trust the Lord, while modeling a life submitted and obedient to Him, and to provide encouragement and discipline, knowing that their hearts will be changed through His Power. Understanding that keeps my heart humble before Him, which allows me a greater influence over my children than if I assume a position of pride or arrogance. And I have been guilty of both, that's for sure. 


I am so very thankful He continues to work on all of us.