Alien Children

Our Christian children are aliens.  If they don’t know it, or if we only teach them techniques to be successful in this life (as though that were Christian), we’ve set them up for frustration.  When I see a trained monkey wearing children’s clothing and playing with children’s toys, I think it’s cute, but I’m not confused.  It’s not natural.  I don’t leap and exclaim, “Wow!  The monkey has become a kid!  What shall we name him?”  In the same way, as I train my children to function in this world, the fact that they are not of this world must always remain clear—to them and to me.  They’re from another.  If they don’t know it, their deluded attempt to fit with this world will make monkeys out of them.

Our Christian children are lights in this world, holy and blameless sons and daughters of God in whom lives the Holy Spirit Himself.  They’re not on a long and winding path to their destination—they’ve arrived already.

Do you see them?  Not if you’re looking at them only with the eyes in your head and not the eyes of your heart.  (Ephesians 1:17-19)

(Excerpted from my book, “God’s Astounding Opinion of You” – Understanding Your Identity Will Change Your Life.  Chapter 12, “Aliens Have Landed” – The Proper Care and Feeding of the Everyday Foreigners in Your Family. http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Astounding-Opinion-You-Understanding/dp/0736937838/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338431904&sr=1-1 You may also find more at http://lifecourse.org)