Choosing the Better Things

Rethinking convenience, embracing calling

A few years ago, I texted a friend a photo of my oldest son—barely two years old at the time—"helping" his daddy with some yard work. The rake he was holding was twice his size, and the moment was just so sweet. I was excited to share the cuteness of it all.

But the reply I got surprised me.

“Yeah, it’s all fun until they’re older and just hold you back when they’re trying to ‘help.’ It’s much easier to just keep them out of house chores.”

At first, I was taken aback. Why would I want to keep my children from learning the value of hard work? Why rob them of the joy that comes from contributing, growing, and being part of the family team?

When Help Feels Like a Hindrance

Fast forward a few years, and I’ll admit—I get it now. There are moments when I’m in a rush, spinning plates, and I hear that sweet little voice: “Can I help you, Mom?” And everything in me wants to say, “Not right now.” Because yes—helping hands can slow things down. It’s often easier to just do it myself.

But then I remember...

God doesn’t just call me to be a hard worker. He calls me to raise up hard workers. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” That means my job isn’t to do everything perfectly or efficiently—but to patiently guide little hearts toward wisdom, diligence, and joy in the process.

Scripture gives us so many examples of humble, faithful labor. Jesus worked as a carpenter (Mark 6:3). Paul faithfully served God even during his imprisionment and in the face of persecution. Ruth gleaned in the fields with endurance (Ruth 2). God honors the work of our hands—not just the outcome, but the process itself.

Are We Choosing Convenience Over Growth?

That one text message planted a seed in my heart, and I’ve been wrestling with this question ever since:

Are we slowly killing our God-given resilience… in the name of convenience?

We live in a world that moves fast. Between school, work, sports, ministry, and family commitments, it’s no wonder we lean on convenience just to survive.

• A quick drive-thru dinner because soccer practice starts in an hour. But is that really fueling the bodies God calls us to care for as His temple? (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)

• Tidying up after the kids go to bed because it’s faster and quieter. But are we missing an opportunity to model shared responsibility and grit? (Proverbs 14:23)

• A round of antibiotics at the first sign of a cold because “I can’t afford to be sick.” But are we giving our bodies the rest they need—or just patching ourselves up to keep hustling?

Let’s Be Clear: Convenience Isn’t the Enemy

Don’t get me wrong. I am so thankful for modern conveniences. There are nights when a drive-thru saves my sanity. There are days when I need 30 uninterrupted minutes to clean without tiny tornadoes undoing it all. And praise God for medicine when our bodies need support.

But when convenience becomes our norm—our go-to—we have to ask:

Are we trading what is best… for what is easy?

A Call to Reconsider

As Christian moms, we are called to something deeper. Proverbs 6:6 urges us, “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.” The ant isn’t flashy. She’s not fast. But she’s steady. She works with purpose. She prepares.

What if we embraced that kind of steady diligence—not just for ourselves, but for our children to see?

What if, instead of always cleaning while they sleep, we taught them to help with small tasks—even if it took longer?

What if we invited them into the work, the cooking, the gardening, the serving—so they grow up seeing labor not as a burden but a blessing?

What They’ll Remember

In the end, our kids won’t remember spotless floors or 20-minute dinners. They’ll remember the feeling of being part of something. They’ll remember the way we responded when they asked to help. They’ll remember whether we made room for them—even when it slowed us down.

And maybe that’s what God is calling us to: not perfect homes, not effortless routines, but hearts that are humble, willing, and full of grace. Because hard work doesn’t just produce results—it builds character, resilience, and dependence on Him.

“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” — Romans 5:3–4

Let’s choose the harder way sometimes—not because we have to, but because God often meets us in the hard. And what we gain there is often far more lasting than what convenience can ever give us.

Let’s raise kids who know how to work with joy, because they saw it lived out in us.

And let’s remember: God gave us work—not to overwhelm us—but to draw us closer to Him, and to one another.