Children are a special blessing from our Heavenly Father and with that blessing comes responsibility. The responsibility is to love and to nurture, to give time and attention, and to correct when necessary. In other words, honor the blessing and in so doing, honor God.

The sad truth however is that many of us have grown up with something far less. Growing up in an environment where to be loved was a wish carried in your young heart but never experienced. Seldom being cared for or made to feel “special” in any way. And correction was not correction but punishment or even abuse. Words were spoken and actions taken that left a deep wound in your soul and broke your young heart.

Even as a young child there was a sense that it isn’t supposed to be this way. After all, this isn’t the way it is for all the other kids. And shame was born into your young heart and grew like a vicious weed year after year.

Shame born of abuse or neglect, says it’s your fault because there’s something wrong with you. You deserved to be treated that way. You are not as good as everyone else. You have little value in this world. You accepted these lies as truth and built your life upon them.

Now remember, children are a blessing from God. To receive a blessing and not see it as one would make it possible to dishonor the blessing. The dishonoring of a blessing from God dishonors those who act against it. The blessing can never be diminished by the actions of any person.

The God of the whole universe created you just as you are. The way you look, your personality, everything about you were all His idea (Psalm 139:13 – 18). You were a blessing bestowed upon your parents and your family. Their actions never had the power to change the truth of who God created you to be and who you are as His beloved child and a blessing to this world.

Any shame you carry because of someone else’s actions against you, is not yours to carry. The shame belongs to those who caused the harm. Their actions dishonored you, themselves and God. Today is the day to bind up shame and cast it off (throw it as hard and as far as you can). And then walk in the truth; there was never anything “wrong” with you. You are valuable, you are precious and you are a blessing from God to this world.

Remember every day to reject the lies and embrace the truth!