“A Day in the Life”

When my oldest was about two and my son was a newborn, I spent quite a bit of time with a dear friend who was also a mom of two young kids. In between playdates, we’d chat on the phone about the ins and outs of life. We’d often share ideas about getting babies to sleep, and sometimes we’d exchange easy dinner recipes. I respected this dear friend for many reasons, and I always looked forward to gleaning from her wisdom.

But we were so different. Our kids were the same age, and we both loved Jesus, but that was about all we had in common. She worked full-time outside of the house, and I stayed at home. She was crafty and hands-on with creative kid’s activities, and I…was not. I enjoyed playing in the sand at a nearby beach while she was a homebody and preferred her backyard. Her chores could wait; mine could not. I followed a sleep schedule, and she did not. She loved being in the kitchen, and I preferred eating out. 

We were opposites. But our friendship was a treasure because we shared life’s joys and defeats, but also because we learned regularly from each other even though we implemented most of life differently.  

Today, with the advancement of social media, we have new and inventive ways that provide “sneak peaks” into the lives of other moms without the need for play dates and phone conversations. What has gained enormous popularity amongst Christian influencers is to provide “A Day in the Life,” where followers can literally watch the hourly life of a mom unfold as she seeks to live out the gospel in her area of calling. 

While there can be benefits to watching a “Day in the life,” I often warn mothers of the need to guard their hearts if they choose to follow these Instagram stories.  While the host is not necessarily to blame, it’s just too easy to follow someone else’s life, in the absence of a mutual friendship, and become jealous, dis-heartened, or doubtful about your own God-given situation and abilities. 

Gospel-Centered Discipleship Looks Different in Each Family Unit

If a correct “sequence” or “formula” existed for what a day in a Christian household should look like, the Bible would provide an hourly schedule to follow. But it does not. Rather, it provides believing parents with the necessary principles to guide each day: 

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might…You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deut. 6:4

In sum, we, as parents, are called to love God with everything we have. And the commandments provided in His Word should be so a part of who we are that we can’t help but talk about them with our children whether we’re taking a walk, sitting around the dinner table, or tucking them in at night. 

What’s easy to forget when watching someone else’s “Day in the Life” is that the above Biblical principle is implemented differently in each family unit. If our heart is not guarded while we watch, it’s easy for insecurities to rise which causes us to believe the lie that we’re not good enough because we’re not doing things the same way they are.  

Because there is no one way to disciple our children in the faith, if you choose to follow these stories, watch cautiously knowing that what they do may not be the best way for your family. Mothers who work outside the home, your discipleship is not inadequate, something easy to believe when watching these stories. And mothers who stay at home, you may not follow a strict schedule and still disciple your children in beautiful and profound ways as you share Jesus in your own unique context.

If you want to try something different in your discipling, then be on the lookout for good ideas from these mothers who are vulnerable with their lives. If you are just bored and tend to watch for entertainment, perhaps there is a better way to spend your time in order to guard your heart. 

God Calls You to Follow Him, and Not Your Neighbor 

If I had tried to emulate my friend’s daily life with her children, I would have felt utterly inadequate. And she would have felt the same if my day-to-day was the standard for discipleship in her home. We would have done a disservice to our families if we tried to emulate the other person’s life. 

While we can and should follow the example of godly leaders who reflect Christ, we can’t put any single human above Jesus. It’s ultimately Jesus who we follow, and we do this as we search the Scriptures for guidance and pray regularly for the wisdom needed to raise the children that God has entrusted to us. 

Follow Jesus. He is enough, and His Word is sufficient. If following someone else’s daily routine causes you to feel inadequate, or if it begins to stir up envy, then put your phone away. You don’t need someone else’s “Day in the Life” to do what God has called you to do in raising up a child in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Follow Jesus. He promises to guide you through each and every day that He has given you.