Mark 14:38 – Be alert and pray, so that you do not give in to temptation.
You may be wondering why alertness would even be considered an important characteristic trait to learn during the preschool years. Well, the first five – six years of a child’s life is the time when development and awareness of the world around them grows at an exponential rate. With this increasing awareness of the people and environment surrounding them, so too should a parent’s alertness increase.
After all, as defined in the dictionary, alert means to be watchful, vigilant, and to guard against surprise or danger. As parents, a huge part of our responsibility is to guard our children’s hearts and minds. When we display alertness we are actively on the lookout for those things that can hurt or damage our children. And this isn’t limited to physical danger…we should always be alert to the spiritual, emotional and mental obstacles that can easily ensnare our little ones.
Call to Action
What can we do as parents to activate and increase alertness?
• BE MINDFUL – Remember the song “Oh Be Careful Little Eyes”? That happens to be the song of the week for Bible and it’s a great reminder that we should carefully guard the things that our children see, hear, and say. And let’s be honest, it’s a great reminder for ourselves too!
• BE PRAYERFUL – Mark 14:38 commands us to be alert and pray! Get in the habit of praying for your children. Pray this week for the characteristic of alertness to be present in your household.
• BE DILIGENT – Proverbs 4:23 calls us to guard the heart diligently – that means persistently! It’s not a onetime thing. Guarding our hearts is a lifetime effort!
Tracy LaBreche
