Fitting for Each

1.20.2011

Genesis 49:28 28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him. NIV

As I read down through the twelve blessings of the twelve sons, I had to think about Jacob’s relationship with his boys, and what he thought about each of them. You can tell just by the length or tone of the blessings that he was closer to some than others; and that he favored some more than others. With that many boys running around, it would be hard to have that much time for them. But Jacob thought about his boys and the blessing he gave to each one of them shows he knew something about them; and thought something of each of them.

It makes me think about my own boys – all two of them. (Yes, I’ve had three, but one of them is already infinitely blessed in the presence of the Lord.) If I were to bless my boys today I would definitely have something to say that was appropriate to each.

To one I would say “You are creative and insightful; you argue on the level of an attorney but I think you’re called to be a man of God and lead a church.” To the other I would say, “You have the heart of a warrior but the charisma of a leader. You are wise beyond your years and you’ll do well if you capture the vision of your life.” Children are a gift from God and my job as a parent is to help them see what I see and to inquire of God to help them see in themselves what He sees; each appropriate to him – or her…

Father in Heaven,
Thank You for my children and for Your presence in their live. I pray You give them wisdom and Lord I pray that You help them to see what You see for them. To Judah you ordained, “The scepter will not depart from [you], nor the ruler’s staff from between [your] feet, until He comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is His.” Even Judah’s prophecy was about Jesus who owns the scepter and the staff. May my boys be caretakers of the gifts You’ve given them until they lay them at the feet of Him to Whom they belong… amen.