Pleasing the Father on the first day of school...

Today was a big day in our neighborhood and for communities  across the nation.  This will be the first time many of us are sending our kids off to school. We have made it an ongoing practice in our house to "start the day right" by getting our minds on our Heavenly Father.

My children know our mission for today is, "Father, what do you want to do today? I want to do what you want to do." From that point on, the day is about pleasing the Father. Paying attention in class is to please the Father, not to please the teacher - although pleasing the teacher is a secondary motivation with many benefits.

Our day ends in the same fashion. During our family dinner, we go around the table and share what God had done and how we were a part of it: "Okay kids, what did God do today through you?"

Parents in America typically ask their kids after school: "Did you have fun?"
Parents in Asian countries (i.e. India) usually ask: "What did you learn today?"

Both questions are legitimate questions I eventually ask my kids. But there is one question that is more important to me than if they had fun or if they got smarter; namely...

"Was the Father pleased with your day?"

So, at dinner tonight, I asked my son, "What did you do that pleased the Father?"  He replied in a humble tone: "I tried my best not to be scared when I couldn't find my class."  I was so proud of him.  First time in a huge public school.  Not to mention he's 6 and smaller than the average.

I want to instill it early and drive it hard.  Our life is about pleasing the Father, not any other human being. Period.

I believe Pleasing the Father should be our primary mission as it was Jesus mission, which he always accomplished (cf John 8:29).

Here are a few ways to please the Father on any given day:

• Colossians 1:10: Bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God pleases the Father.
• Romans 12:1: Presenting your body as a living sacrifice pleases the Father.
• Romans 14:18: Looking out for your weaker brother pleases the Father.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:4: Teaching the word in truth pleases the Father.
• 1 Timothy 2:1–3: Praying for your governing authorities pleases the Father.
• 1 Timothy 5:4: Supporting family members in need pleases the Father.
• Hebrews 13:16: Sharing with others pleases the Father.
• 1 John 3:22: Keeping the commandments pleases the Father.