Are You Leaving a Residue?

by Becky Boggio

My son asked me the other day why our drinking glasses, although clean, look cloudy? I told him that it was just hard water residue on them. Our water softener exploded several years ago and we never replaced it. The word residue stuck in my head. Residue is defined as “something that remains after a part is removed”. Residue can be good or bad. Cloudy glasses isn’t a bad residue, it just doesn’t look nice. I was thinking that as we raise our children to be followers of God, are we leaving a residue? What are we leaving behind when our children aren’t with us?

They say it takes 27 days to develop a habit but I believe this is a focused change of behavior. As parents I have heard/read that we will say something to our children one million times before it may actually trigger them to do said action (i.e. close the door behind you, chew with your mouth closed, use your manners, etc). Leaving a residue seems easier.

We are leaving a residue with every word or action our children see us say or do. Do you ever overhear your kids say something and immediately know where they heard it? Yep, from my own mouth usually. I cringe when I hear myself say things that my mother said to me. And while on occasion there is evidence of bad residue, I rejoice when I see evidence of good residue, God following residue. I teach my daughter’s Girls Club class at church each week and I love to see or hear her apply the things I am teaching in class to our lives at home. Last week one of the girls brought up something from a unit we studied last year, during the first month of the season. How awesome to find that residue, over a year old.

I believe that as parents we try to guide our children and give them the tools to make their life decisions when they are grown up. This includes their decision to accept Christ as their Savior and living their lives to glorify Him. Let our prayer be, when we speak with our children or they see us doing things, that we are a leaving a residue that glorifies God and is perceived a good residue so when we are removed from our children they will seek God and His direction in their lives.