Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
Patience and kindness are 2 things we are easily motivated to teach our children because they are also valued by the world. What about teaching our children to not be envious, boastful or proud in a world where self esteem is deemed so important instead of esteeming God?
I went running with my sister who runs on a regular basis and participates in things like half-marathons. As I trailed far behind her and began to walk after less than a mile of jogging, I found myself envious of her ability to run. I felt like I "lost" at running - because I am competitive. Being "competitive" is very much of the world. I have become a bad loser. God did a work in me as I struggled to breathe while watching my sister disappear ahead of me. He brought to my attention the need to be thankful that He has gifted her with the motivation and ability to discipline her mind and body in the way of running. Then I became thankful for His gifts to me in "thoroughly equipping me for every good work" by His word. (1 Tim 3:16-17)
Instead of teaching our children to be competitive, which certainly leads to being proud and boastful when they win and to being envious and joyless when they lose, let us teach them to love by being thankful for giving others different gifts so that God may be glorified in many different ways. Let us teach them to love God by being thankful for the gifts they have received from Him, above all, the gift of Himself - Christ's finished work on the cross and sanctification from the Holy Spirit, which will arm them to beat sin, which has no power over those in Christ! Let us teach them to esteem God, not themselves, whether they win or lose.
