Richele homeschools 4 children and has taught everything from tying your shoes to the laws of physics but nothing could prepare her for the mountains of laundry and the many blessings that would fill her life. She blogs at Under the Golden Apple Tree.
1 CORINTHIANS 11:1
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Paul is speaking about being Christ like in his spiritual walk and encourages us to be Christ like in our walk.
MATTHEW 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
In this verse the term “perfect” is not suggesting sinless perfection yet means “complete” as in having a complete love like God’s love. Meaning one should love those who love him and those who do not.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO REFLECT CHRIST?
To reflect Christ in our daily lives means we must walk in the spirit and exhibit love while always remembering who we represent. We are no longer our own but bought with a price as it states in 1 Corinthians 7:23: Ye are bought with a price; be not ye servants of men.
Learning that we reflect Christ daily is a hard lesson to learn for adults much less children. Daily we are faced with stress, trials, distraction, and the flesh. It is all too easy to forget we are ambassadors for Christ in this world when someone takes our toy, breaks our iPod, or disappoints us. Consider this verse from Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing:
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wand'ring heart to Thee.
Prone to wander Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
METHODS OF TEACHING CHILDREN ABOUT REFLECTING CHRIST
The Man in Uniform Activity
Show your child pictures of men and women in uniforms. For example, show your child a picture of a policeman and ask him who this person is and what this person represents. Ask your child to give you characteristics he expects from this person. Now ask him why he has these expectations. Most likely your child will view this person based on the uniform and the fact this uniform represents a concept beyond the person’s individual personality. Ask your child what he would think if this person acted the exact opposite of his expectations. For example, what if the police officer committed criminal acts? What if a doctor did not treat a patient but harmed a patient? What if a chef fixed the plumbing in the kitchen and did not prepare the food?
The purpose of this lesson is to bring the understanding that when one puts on a uniform one represents ideals which must be upheld or risks making all of those in that uniform look bad.
The Rude Waitress/The Nice Waitress
This activity requires play acting. Make a made up restaurant name tag for yourself. Invite your child to come visit your restaurant. Set up something simple in your dining area and have a snack prepared. Once your child sits at the table you will want to portray a rude waitress. At first your child may be shocked or laugh. After a few minutes or so of this play acting ask your child if she would ever visit the restaurant again. Chances are she will say no. Then explain that the restaurant consists of other waitresses and staff that may be very nice yet one rude waitress spoiled the reputation of an entire establishment. Now explain how a Christian represents Christ and while being only one person can tarnish the image of Christ in the eyes of other’s.
Next, have your child play the waitress. However, this time we want to play a waitress who represents her restaurant in a positive way, serves gratefully, and is filled with joy. Explain you would certainly come back to that restaurant and love to learn more about it. Ask your child to correlate the experience to a Christian representing Christ.
I Work for Jesus Name Tag
Make name tags for you and your child that say “I Work for Jesus”. Now go about your day. Whenever your child disobeys, displays a bad attitude, or grows slack in her countenance gently remind her that she works for Jesus.
This exercise is not to humiliate, demean, confuse, imply legalism, or chastise your child. It is a way of pointing out how actions we allow to pass by or not realize we are doing are unChrist like. It is to serve as a physical reminder that one is always representing Christ. Use your own judgment if you think this lesson would be lost on your child.
The New Kid in Town
This role playing game will involve one person playing herself and one person playing a new neighbor. The first round you will want to play a new neighbor who is fun, nice, and great to be around. After a few minutes ask your child if she would enjoy having this person as a friend? Could she envision having a love for this person?
The second round the new neighbor will be bossy, rude, and hard to like. Now ask your child if she would enjoy having this neighbor as a friend? Ask her if she could envision having a love for this person? Now ask her what Christ would want her to do? Would Christ want you to love this person? Does Christ love this person?
You do not need to act out these scenarios. You can simply tell a story or use puppets or other toys to tell the story.
©Richele McFarlin, 2011
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