Pearls and the Mind of Christ

They say a pearl is formed by an irritating piece of sand or harmful parasite within the oyster.  The marine mollusc cannot endure the scratching of the intruder and thus begins a long (possibly a decade) process of covering it with pearl-like material.  What began as an invader becomes shaped with layers of value.

Years ago, a piece of irritating sand, entered my mind in the form of a quote from a friend:

"We are raising children who have a christian morality, but who don't have the mind of Christ."

Those words have stuck in my soft, grey matter and have scratched and clawed at my thoughts like nails down a chalkboard.  It is so much easier to teach a morality and behavior modification than it is to help the mind of Christ be cultivated and birthed in our children.  

The truth is, I have, at times been content with my kids having a christian morality because their behavior has made me look like a good parent.  When they are polite in public, show kindness towards someone, or can hold an engaging conversation with another human being, they seem to buy into the morality we so often want to call "kingdom life", and yet their hearts may be so far from that kingdom.  However, because they look good on the outside, I stop....and I think I've done my job as a parent.

So how do I encourage the formation of the mind of Christ in my children, now that they are almost 17 and 14?  (I think we've tried over the years, but sometimes not until we felt the irritation of that sandy intruder in our parenting paradigm.) I don't just want them to be "good kids" with a certain morality, but I deeply desire for them to follow Jesus and to have his thoughts deeply implanted within them.  I don't just want them to "do what looks right", but to ask Him what He thinks about whatever situation they find themselves in.  

That piece of sand that sneaked its way in so many years ago is irritating me again.  My parenting goals, desires and eyesight need to shift and change.  What has been - what has gone before - needs to be covered up with new layers of priceless, liquid pearl-esque practices.  New layers are needed to be sure that the mind of Christ, not just good behavior, is being encouraged to grow in my kids.

May I have the mind of Christ too, as I try to help my children find Him for themselves!!