St. Patrick’s Day Reflection
St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland who used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to those practicing pagan religions. He brought thousands to Christ through such a simple explanation. While this holiday is more of a secular celebration, it’s still a chance to remind children that even the smallest actions can affect their walk with Christ.
Here are a few other thoughts to help your children grow spiritually by paying attention to the little things.
Differentiate Luck and Blessings
This is a pretty easy concept for children to get mixed up. They both seem like positive ideals, but they come from two different sources. Luck is a random act of chance that falls in your favor, while blessings are a fulfillment of the promise God made to his people for choosing to follow Him. Ask your children to give an example of each that has happened to them to make sure they understand the difference.
Jesus is All We Need
Now that they understand the difference, let them know that blessings can come in all shapes and forms. When someone does an act of kindness out of heir obedience for God, that’s a blessing. When we feel comfort in moments of struggle, that’s a blessing. Even when they don’t give into the temptation of breaking their fast from candy during Lent, that is a blessing. With all blessings God deserves our thanks.
While it’s nice to have a random surprise, make sure they understand the spiritual value in recognizing when great things come from the Lord. It’s so important for children to see God move in their lives. This encourages them to give thanks to him through prayer, and share his goodness with others.
We can live without luck, but on St. Patrick’s Day – and any day for that matter – Jesus is all we need.
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