“No, me Bentley.” My son was indignant as he told me his name….. We were sitting on the living room rug building towers with magnetic blocks when I said to him, “I love you my prince.” To this declaration of my love, he quickly set me straight with, “No, me Bentley.”
He is a little boy who is sure of his identity. There is no doubt in his mind, not a single shred of doubt or waver in who he is. He is Bentley. In his innocence of not knowing that he may be called other words of endearment, he speaks great wisdom to me.
The wisdom is that when we KNOW surely and securely and with confidence who we are, the opinions and words of others cannot shake us. Cannot move us. Cannot derail us, confuse us, or cause us to doubt. When we know our identity, our value, and our worthiness, and then someone tries to speak a lie over us, it cannot stick. The fiery lies of the enemy bounce right off of our strong armor of truth.
Mommies, it is essential that we know our own worthiness and identity in Christ, so that we can model healthy self love for our little ones who are so closely watching us. Our words and beliefs about ourselves often become the way our daughters see themselves. If you want to raise a strong, kind daughter who loves herself and loves others, it begins with the hard work of falling in love with ourselves and accepting who we are fully and lovingly.
Then, we teach our babies to love themselves by speaking words of life over them every single chance we get. Tell them they are loved, cherished, adored, safe, and worthy of love and acceptance. If we don’t tell them who they are and help them to build a foundation of truth, the world will sell them a thousand lies about all they are not.
Dear Heavenly Father, I cry out to you for a generation of young people who are grounded in the truth of their identity, their value, and their worthiness just for being them. I pray for children who know they deserve love and acceptance without having to earn it. Children who are so grounded in love, that the world cannot shake them. Lord, a generation of children who spread love, kindness, and hope everywhere they go. In Jesus’ name, Amen.