So this past week at church we were talking about being salt. During last weeks prep, I was taken by the way that Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminded us that there is no choice on the part of the disciple weather or not he or she woudl like to be salt. There was no opt out clause when signing up for discipleship that says that you would like to be bland or Luke warm. Rather we are salt, we have flavor, like it or not. It then becomes our role to add that flavor to the world around us. If we don’t do this and we lose it, we are not true disciples. He then goes on to talk about the way we are then cast aside.
Yesterday was Eden’s 5th birthday and I was thinking about the ways that she has grown. She is an awesome kid. She is creative, smart, beautiful, funny, compassionate and very spiritual in her own 5 year old way. Reflecting on this, the recent fish funeral at the Bishop house and the countless conversations we have had that have shaped her into the girl she is I thought about salt. Much of parenting is not a choice. I don’t remember signing up for the tough conversations about why others are mean, or hugging her as she experiences the loss of a pet (though just a fish), or the late night dreams that make her cry. Believe me if I could have found the opt out clause of the dirty diapers, sleepless nights, the whole baby food period i would have.
Yet there is no choice as parents we ARE salt. there is not choice and if we think there is, we are making a choice to ignore. As parents we are the primary faith influences in the lives of our children. Not the pastor, children’s ministry team or the super hip young adults they look up to. We, the parents, are. Rather than miss opportunities because we ignore the spiritual flavoring we can give to our kids, have the conversations even when you don’t know the answer. Work through it with your child or ask someone who may know. Show them it is ok not to know as long as you are willing to find out. If these conversations don’t happen when they are 3 or 5 it only gets harder to have when they are 15 (though it is never too late). Go and be salty, ask your kids about where they have seen God today or who they think made this wonderful fall day. Have fun exploring the world and what God has in store for your family.
