What is your Turkish Delight?
As
most of you know, I've been reading 'The Chronicles of Narnia' to my
Cowboy. Although I've read all these books before, they surely take on a
new meaning when teaching your child the symbolism and practicality of
present day. As we summed up and discussed the fourth chapter of, 'The
Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe,' I must say, I was pleasantly
surprised in little man's understanding.
We read about Edmund,
the next to youngest child, who was tempted by the White Witch. She
promised him power, Kingship ....... mostly, and to his immediate satisfaction,
Turkish Delight. A temptation of a fine, sugary substance, that kept
him wanting more and more ........ in exchange for his brother and
sisters ..... the Son of Adam and Daughters of Eve.
The
association between the White Witch and Satan, was no contest for my
Cowboy, as it would be for any child deciding between good and evil. But
I pressed further and asked him, "What would your 'Turkish Delight"
be?" Examining his heart and evaluating how available sugar and Little
Debbies are in this day and age, I challenged to push further, and think
about the thing that the enemy could use most to tempt him right now.
Without a second thought, he said, "Video games."
So I asked
him ..... "if you were offered, as Edmund was, the ability to play these
games, without "Mom rules" and conviction, and you were told you could
play anything at all you liked, in exchange for what was most precious
to you, what would you say?" He said, "What do you mean by most
precious, what really does that mean?" I said, what matters most to your
heart. So, ask yourself, what DOES matter most to your heart, and why?
He said, "You Mama, you matter most to me." I said, "Truly, I am
honored, but is that really how you feel? I only offer you love and
care. What else do we need, what else is more important than that? He
said, "Heaven. I want to live with Jesus." I asked him, "Can I give you
that?" "No Mama, you can't, but God can." So I asked again, "What is
most precious to you?" He looked at me, kinda questioning, almost to
make sure it was ok with me, and he said, "God Mama. God is most
precious to me."
I smiled and said, "OK, so, if you were
offered to play any and all games you wanted, without rules or
conscience, in exchange for giving up God and what you know He wants you
to do ..... would you do it?" "OH NO Mama! I wouldn't!" I asked him,
"Do you think it was easy for Edmund to give up his brother and sisters?
Do you think he thought also, 'OH NO, NEVER! I could never do that?"
After some consideration Cowboy said, "It must have been hard for him to
say that." I said, "Yes, it must have been. But did his desire for his
Turkish Delight (which has now been established as sin) over ride his
desire for what was right?" "Yes," he said, "it did."
So
....... I asked him, "Now, how do you think the enemy will tempt you? Is
he going to use something like Little Debbies?" "Well," he said, "yes,
but Little Debbies would be easy to say no to." "BUT" he said, "He is
going to try again and tempt me with what is most in my heart. What I want most."
That's as far as we got tonight, all I can say
is, God is working!! A little at a time, my baby boy is connecting the
dots between living righteously, and what to expect from the enemy. I
am so blessed that he has such a greater understanding! God is truly in,
and with him!
Oh, Sandra!
ReplyDeleteAwe inspiring! YOU are a WONDERFUL teacher! I LOVE how Cowboy " connected the dots!" This is so beautiful!
Thank you Mickey :) All I can do is put it out there on his level. His willing heart and eagerness to learn is what makes or breaks my efforts. He's a good student!
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