My boys were seven and five when I remarried. I opted out of having bridesmaids, and settled on only inviting my two sons to stand up with me. It wasn’t long before a war of words broke out between them as they argued about their individual roles for the ceremony. Who would carry the rings? Who would be my “little person of honor”? Which one would hold my bouquet during the vows? You’ve never been so entertained as to listen to two tiny boys fight about wedding details.
“I’m going to be the ring bearer,” my oldest son announced, with all the authority a first-born seven-year-old can muster. Then he pointed his itty-bitty finger at his itty-bitty brother and insisted, “I’m the oldest, and since we don’t have a sister, you have to be the flower girl!” It doesn’t matter your age, when your brother volunteers you for a stereotypical girl’s job, it’s game on. They hurled insults at each other, trying to prove their manhood. The squabble, which lasted longer than I’m proud of, ended as it began—with my seven-year-old shouting, “I’m the oldest. You are not the boss of me.” He marched off before the younger could give a last rebuttal. There was nothing left to debate.
Position matters, doesn’t it.
There are certain privileges we enjoy because of our position in life. In my house, the oldest kid sits in the front seat of the car unless he doesn’t want to. The President of the United States has a private plane for transportation, while you and I drive our cars. Everyone stands when a judge enters the courtroom, but no one stands when I come in to a room. Yes, position matters.
Do you agree? Then why is it that we fail to be mindful of our position in Christ when trials and temptations come our way? How often do we let that slip from our consciousness and proceed through life as a victim or prey for the enemy to devour? It’s time we stand up to our spiritual assailant and remind him who he’s messing with.
When the accuser whispers, “You can never escape all the wrong you’ve done,” you declare, “Because of my position, in Christ I am redeemed through His blood and I have forgiveness for my sins” (Colossians 1:14).
When the liar shouts, “You are alone and unwanted,” you proclaim, “Because I belong to Christ, He will never leave me or forsake me” (Hebrews 13:5).
When the adversary taunts you, “You belong to no one,” you tell him, “I belong to God, and I have the Holy Spirit to guarantee it” (Ephesians 1:14).
When the betrayer calls, “You’ll never be able to walk away from your old habits,” you shout, “Because of Christ, I’m a new creation!” (1 Corinthians 5:17).
Our position in Christ promises that we have been given every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). When we face our spiritual enemy, who tries to tell us we are something we aren’t, let’s stand up for ourselves in a seven-year-old-ring-bearer kind of way and declare, “My position as a daughter of the King means you are NOT the boss of me.”
About Kim Heinecke
Kim Heinecke wants to live in a world where children listen to the advice of their mothers without question. As a former single mom she’s been encouraging women using her life experiences in parenting, growing in the Word of God and everything in between. When she’s not negotiating with a teenager or wrestling a pre-schooler, you can find her camping in the family RV or pretending to understand sports with her husband and four sons. Read more from Kim at www.TheMomExperiment.com.