Blessed Are The Pure In Heart. . .
By Nita K. Curry
February 7, 2000
From the very beginning, my husband and I have been very cognizant of the
influences in the life of our 23 month-old. We made the decision that I would
stay home with him and be a full-time mom. This was an easy decision that forced
us to make a lot of adjustments. I had to make a lot of adjustments. But
as time passed, I realized the importance of that decision.
One benefit was the newfound peace that rested upon our home. No longer did
we seem to be in a mad rush 5-7 days a week. We were still just as busy, busier
in some ways, but we were no longer rushing around playing catch-up. I took care
of all the basics during the day that left our evenings freer than they had ever
been.
The second benefit was financial. This really didn’t seem to be a benefit
at first, due to some sacrifices that were involved. We are living on one income
now, when a few years ago we couldn’t have thought this was possible. But with
God, all things are possible!
The third benefit is the training of a child up in the way that is right. The
longer I have been home with Caleb, the more I realize that someone will be
influencing my child. Someone will be administering discipline, someone will be
showing him right from wrong, and someone will be kissing his little boo boos. We chose that someone to be me.
However, as any stay-at-home mom will attest, you are constantly checking
yourself and praying that you are on the right track. You pray that what your
child is seeing is Christ-like and that they will also desire to follow Christ.
It is very sobering when you think about the responsibilities involved with
raising a child. But the Scriptures give us a maxim by which to live, "Train
up a child in the way he should go and, when he is old, he will not depart from
it." (Proverbs 22:6).
Recently, we witnessed one of his most precious actions. More precious than
when he says, "Mommy" and more precious than when he comes toward me
with both hands out stretched and he’s crying. It was precious because it came
from an innocent and pure heart; a little boy is learning by watching.
We were at church for the weekly prayer meeting and I had packed his little
bag full of "car-cars" for Caleb to play with while we were praying.
When we arrived, we found our pew by Papa and began the preparations to pray.
Papa was at one end of the pew, I was at the other, Daddy was walking up and
down the aisles praying. Caleb was to play between Papa and I. I grabbed his
drink, positioned my prayer list, and began to kneel. When I knelt down, Caleb
looked at me, then looked at his kneeling Papa. At this moment he turned his
head toward me and bowed it down on the pew. I wasn’t quite sure what he was
doing, but I thought, "Oh, he must be bowing his head the way he does when
we pray for our meal."
Then he got down from the pew, positioned himself directly in front of me,
bowed his head on the pew and stayed there for at least 20 minutes. Neither my
husband nor I could believe it. Here was a completely innocent being who maybe,
just maybe realized that he should be praying. With his head down and his body
still, he listened. It was unbelievable. It was so unbelievable that he would
stay still for that long! He can’t even sit still that long to eat. But with
God’s presence at hand, you never know what may transpire between that little
heart and his heavenly father.
I do know this, it is up to us to provide him with the atmosphere to
experience the presence of God. You don’t have to be a supermom or superdad,
but you do have to provide an environment to learn to love the Lord. I no longer
care about a career, or making my millions, but I care that the little soul that
God has entrusted to us will follow wholly and completely after Him.
The Scripture says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall
see God." (Matthew 5:8). I wonder if he saw God that night in prayer?
ninetyandnine.com
Article © Nita Curry, 2000
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Nita Curry lives in St. Louis, has a Master’s Degree in History from
the University of Missouri and is in her ninth year teaching College and Career
Sunday School Class. She is currently heavily involved in a long-term sleep
deprivation program under the guidance of Dr. Caleb Curry.
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