Hold Them Loosely
The short excerpt is by Ron Hutchcraft, and the Scripture is 1 Samuel 1:27-28 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.
A little boy had been trying for many days to capture one of the little birds that snacked in the family fields. He had tried over and over again to hide in the bushes and surprise one of those birds enough to get his hands on it. Finally, after many failed attempts, he captured his prize. And he could not wait to show his mommy. He wrapped his hands around that little bird and he ran all the way to his house. As soon as the little guy saw his mother, he proudly extended his cupped hands and said, Mommy, I got a bird! He is really cute! But his joy did not last long. As he slowly opened his hands for his mother to see, he noticed the bird was not moving - or breathing. It was one heartbroken boy who cried, Mommy, I was afraid I would lose him, but I held him so tight, I crushed him.
The story is just that - only a story. But the mistake the little boy made, well that is not just a story. It is a mistake made by many a mom or dad with a son or daughter they love very much. They held them so tightly that they lost them.
We tend to forget that a child is a trust from God; a gift He is given us to help care for, provide for, and develop. But they belong to Him, not to us. So a mom or dad who parent by God s design understand the power of these simple words: love them deeply, but hold them loosely.
In 1 Samuel 1 Hannah, the mother of Samuel, God s man to be the greatest judge who ever governed His people, had been unable to conceive for many years. But the Bible says that she kept on praying to the Lord. Ultimately, God wonderfully gave her that much-prayed-for boy, and she named him Samuel, which means heard of God. In Hannah s eyes, the sun must have risen and set on that boy; but she understood that while you love your child deeply, you hold him loosely.
Hannah gives Samuel over to the Lord for his whole life. What a prayer for you to pray each new day as a mom or dad, no matter how young or how old your child is. For his whole life or her whole life, he/she will be given over to the Lord. Each day, you give that child back to the One who gave that child to you.
When you do that, you can avoid that unhealthy kind of love that crushes a child and often loses a child. A controlling parent, a manipulating parent, a guilt-tripping parent, a shaming parent, a dominating parent - those are parents who will ultimately produce the very results they fear by holding too tight.
Love them deeply - hold them loosely so they can learn to fly as God made them to.
Champions, have a great week!-David Vining
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