Strong and Courageous

My husband and I were in the car taking our grandsons out for pizza. We began to have a heated discussion when all of a sudden I heard the loud, deep, raspy voice of my three year old grandson. He said; "Grandma, I appreciate you. I love you. Grandpa, you should appreciate grandma!" Where does this boy get his vocabulary? He just turned three on April 29th. Not only did he use the word, but it was clear that he understood what he was talking about. It was precious!

Gary responded by saying; "Jayden, I appreciate grandma. I am sorry that we were arguing." By this time, I had forgoten what we were arguing about. I felt convicted because I was sure it was my grumpy mood that had caused the argument. So I wondered why Jayden had taken my side?

It seemed he just naturally came to my rescue because I am a woman. He felt the responsibility as a little man to stick up for me whom he deemed as the underdog. He is definitely the "super hero" type. He spends his time with me carrying around a sponge sword play fighting to save me from pretend "bad guys." He tells me as he is playing; "Don't worry grandma, I will save you!" He was born with this strong and courageous quality.

In the first chapter of Joshua after Moses dies when God is commissioning Joshua as the leader of Israel, He commands Joshua several times; "Be strong and courageous." Courage and strength are qualities of leadership. And leadership starts in the home and in the heart.

Since I have noticed this God given quality of leadership in my grandson, I can pray for his life more specifically. No matter what I see in the physical realm as he goes through the years, I will pray and believe God for this promise shown to me today.

At three, it is impossible for Jayden to be socialized into being someone that he is not. I have seen this truth as I have raised my daughters. When they went through their teenage years and picked up qualities that were not true to themselves, I continued to pray for the promises God had shown me in their innocent years. And I continued to pray and believe God for the people He had created them to be. I know they are healthy and truly themselves when they exhibit the gifts they could not help expressing before they learned how to filter themselves.

So now I will believe God for this little bold leader who has been given to our family. I will remind him over the years of who he is. I will encourage him to be true to who he was created to be. And I will enjoy the valiance and honor that comes so naturally to him. I will pray and believe God through the rough years until I see a healthy young man with these amazing qualities. God has given me a healthy glimpse of the Jayden he created. I will stand by and encourage him to be the amazing man he was created to be. God has given me this commission.