Our Little Echo - Valerie Beshea
I Timothy 4:12 “…be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
My 7-year-old daughter Violet and I were reading a poem in school called “Our Little Echo.” The “little echo” the author was referring to was a 3-year-old girl. Thoughts immediately flooded my mind as I was convicted reading this cute little poem. I was reminded that I need to be a good example to my four young children who are listening to what I say, how I say it, and how I act.
No matter what stage we are in life, we all have young children who are looking up to us and will be “our little echo.” Here are some simple thoughts that can help us push that “refresh” button.
1. Show kindness.
Sometimes, I think we let our guard down with our family members in the home. We are comfortable with them, so we don’t try as hard in the kindness department. Every night, when I pray with each one of my children, I pray they will be kind to their siblings. Lately, we’ve been cooped up in the house because of sickness and the weather, so it’s easy to get impatient with each other.
We teach our children how to be polite by saying, “please,” “thank-you,” “I’m sorry,” “excuse me,” but we need to remember to say it to our liƩle ones too. Proverbs 16:24 “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”
2. Be loving.
We have 3 little girls in our house, so there can be MANY emotions and drama going on at one time. Just holding them and giving them a hug goes a long way. Listening intently to what they say is a big deal to them. We expect people to listen to us when we talk, so we need to be a good example by listening to our little ones too.
3. Give encouraging words.
Our words are so powerful. We can destroy someone’s spirit so quickly. Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” Say positive things to them. They love to hear compliments and rewarding phrases just like we do! Say things like, “I’m proud of you.” “I love spending time with you.” “You make me happy!” “You did a great job!” “I know you can do it!” “You give the best hugs!”
4. Have a heart of gratitude.
Our words and actions are an overflow of what is already in our hearts. When we are gracious in our speech, actions, and thoughts our children notice. Teach them to appreciate what they already have. Ephesians 5:20 “Giving thanks always for all things unto God…”
This is where I’m at in life—raising and training my little children. So, naturally, I think about this topic often and desire to apply these points in my motherhood. I pray something helped you today or reminded you of something you might need to practice.