Becky Crenshaw

I confiscated every sword in the house.

I was up to my ears in Samurai noises, battle sounds, and the infamous “shing-shing” sound effect of sword play. Moms of boys, aren’t we convinced that the “shing” noise develops in utero?

I  am convinced.

I took them all.  The nerf swords. The power blazers. The light sabers.  The samurizers.  And although my boys would tell you my goal was to be the meanest-mommy-ever, I was really trying to stop the tears.  Not cause them.  I was over my quota for the “But mom, we were just playing” incidents.  So I hid the swords in the back of my closet.  No one would ever find them there.

{Maybe not even me.}

Ahh.  There.  Peace and quiet.  The boys will learn this time.  I am sure they went outside pondering the lesson of the moment, “When mom says quiet down, we best listen.  She means business.  We should go and apologize to her.  Repent of our disobedience.  And let her take a nap.”

I sat down to do a little computer work in my peaceful, shing-free home. But before I could tap the first key, I heard it again.  The shing-shing. The clanging of...wait.  What could they be clanging?  Didn’t I hide all of the swords?

I looked outside and found my boys playing swords.  With long, dead limbs, bound by duct tape from the tool kit.

Those stinkers.

I sat watching the backyard battle,  honestly quite proud of their creativity.  And overwhelmed by their rising manhood.

Their minds set on only one thing.

Being Warriors.

Watching my three boys hash out an imaginary duel, I thought to myself, “I can take the boy away from the sword , but I can’t take the sword away from the boy.”

I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. Jeremiah 31:33 & Hebrew 4:12 

I have spent countless hours shepherding the hearts of my boys toward God.  Pointing them to Jesus.  Teaching them to pray. Reciting Scripture. Reading devotionals.  Listening to praise.  Sowing tiny seeds of faith into the hearts of my entrusted future men.

Even still, I wonder…Am I doing enough?

But in this moment, watching them fight with duct-taped limbs, the Lord whispered to me…Be encouraged, Becky.  My Sword is in them..  No matter where they go, no matter what the world tries to take from them, no matter the circumstances they face, nothing can take the Sword from them.  Nothing.”

God created us for battle.  To fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).

Parent, be encouraged today. Our labor is not in vain.  With each prayer, with each scripture read, with each moment of discipline, we are equipping them for war. 

And when the time comes for our little soldiers to draw their Sword, God’s Word will be there.  Waiting in the sheath of their hearts.

Shing.

Lord, thank you for the opportunity to raise these children.  Help me today to be mindful that a large part of my job as a parent is to equip them well to brave the battles ahead of them.  Let me always take them to your Word first.  It is the only weapon that can truly save them.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

Reflect & Respond:

• Search God’s Word this morning for two Scriptures that will equip your child today.  Find two that are meaningful for the battles they face.  (Ex. if they are timid of a new school year, write 2 Timothy 1:7  “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Put it in their lunchbox. 🙂
• Does this resonate with you, personally?  Maybe you feel as if your Sword is dull and lost in a closet.  Be encouraged, friend.  It is in there.  Take time now and pray, asking God for a fresh wind of His Spirit in you today.

Power Verses:

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6: 11, 16 & 17

Are you personally facing a situation where you desperately need to hear the Shing-Shing of God’s Word?  How can I pray for you?