Mommies: Being Conformed to the Likeness of Christ

I read an article in the DTS Connection the other day and was struck by this quote from Kurt Bruner:

"Like others, I see spiritual formation as the process of being conformed to the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. Most of the authors I enjoy on this subject focus on what past generations would have called 'the contemplative life' oriented toward prayer, reading, solitude and the like. But the vast majority of believers are called to 'the active life' of marriage and family. God designed the home as the primary context of our spiritual formation. During a silent retreat I feel closer to Jesus. When I serve my wife and children in ways that are inconvenient or unpleasant, I am being Jesus. Philippians 2 calls me to embody the incarnation of Christ by humbling myself and 'taking on the form of a servant.' That often means swallowing my pride to apologize to my wife or giving up a cherished 'quiet time' to change a disgusting diaper. I might get a spiritual retreat once every year. I get to serve my family every thirty minutes seven days a week. You can probably guess which is forming me more toward Christlike humility and self-sacrifice."

I have talked to so many mommies who lament their lack of quiet time with Jesus. I empathize. Before children I had days where I literally spent hours with Jesus. It was a sweet time of focus and fellowship. But then these little ones came into my life, and wouldn't you know it, they demand my attention most of the day. It's so easy to get so busy and then to feel we have somehow lost spirituality because we haven't been soaked in our Bibles or contemplative prayer.

I've often thought that the majority of Christians in Bible times did not have the luxury of hours of Bible reading and prayer (not to mention the modern idea of journaling). Most Christians did not even own Bibles because the Bible in its current form didn't exist (no printing press). So did these Christians lack spirituality because they did not spend time reading the Bible and journaling? No. And neither do we.

The truth is that although the contemplative life is good and can be so refreshing, it isn't where the meat of spirituality is found. The meat is found in the active life, in the serving like Christ, and serving means stepping outside of the quiet to get down on our hands and knees in front of others. Christians of the past served like crazy. Acts is full of people who gave of themselves to others in the name of Christ. And we can be just like them.

Mommies, if you do not have quiet time today, if quiet time is elusive, do not feel guilty. You have not lost spirituality. Your spiritual service is linked to taking care of your kiddos. You are being Jesus to your little ones. You are being formed spiritually as you shape your home. Embrace what is the source of Christlike humility and self-sacrifice: the serving of your family.