Spiritual Perspective Stewardship Paradigm Becoming More Christ Like

The Stewardship Paradigm

Are environment and heredity the only two factors that
determine a child's personality and nature? If so, why are
siblings -- in the same home with the same parents -- so vastly different? For most parents, a real wake-up call comes with a second child. We think we've learned so much with the first one and that the second will therefore be so much easier. And then we find it's a whole new ball game. Nothing works quite the same with number two. Each is unique. Each is already who he is at birth! By the time we bring a baby home from the hospital, we already know what kind of personality she has.

So the question is, where do they become who they are and when? There must be another factor besides environment and heredity, and it must predate both of them.

Most people believe in a life after life in some kind of a heaven or continuing spiritual existence. Is it any less logical (or any more difficult) to believe in a life before life, in a spiritual existence from whence we came?

Wordsworth certainly believed in such. In his poem "Ode to Intimations of Immortality" he says:

Most parents, especially mothers, have noticed the "heaven that lies about infants." Indeed, for the first few days they seem to be looking past us and seeing the angels.

The best thing about thinking of our children (and ourselves) as spiritual beings who have come to earth for a mortal experience is that it gives us perspective and causes us to respect our children. After all, if the birth order were reversed, they could just as well be our parents. As we respect children more and think of them as stewardships, sent to us by their (and our) true father, we will treat them with more wisdom and kindness and feel a deeper gratitude for them.

Note: Richard Eyre wrote a book called Life Before Life which is available in bookstores or by contacting the Eyres via the "contact us" button on this web site.