Mary, Did You Know

This past Sunday, my Pastor used the words of the song, "Mary, Did You Know?" to illustrate some things in his sermon.  She knew that He was the Son of God and that He would come into this world to do great things.  However, the angel never spelled out the things that He would do.  There are no scriptures in the Old Testament that told her that He would:  walk on water, heal the sick, calm storms, cast out demons, raise the dead, or in general, bring the great deliverance that He brought to the entire world.  What she did know, was that He was God's anointed child and God had a special purpose for Him.  That was first and foremost in her mind as she raised and taught her God-given Son.
Psalm 139:13--For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. Vs 16--Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them. The very moment any child is conceived, and as their DNA is being formed, God writes a complete description of him in His book.  AND THEN, He begins forming a plan for his life.  Just like He did for you, and just like He did for your children.  God has a plan for us, even when we blow it and go some other way.  He is constantly trying to get us to follow a path that He knows is best suited for us.  We all remember the scripture that reminds us that His ways and thoughts are higher than ours--Is 55:9.  The best example is Moses.  After he killed an Egyptian and ran away from his people, God met him on the backside of a desert and told him (in essence), "You're still my man and I still have a plan."
Now, let's get down to business.  If Psalm 139 is true, and I believe it is with all my heart, then every person on the face of this earth has a God-plan for their lives.  That includes your children, your step-children and the people you are angry at.  God's heart is to bring them into His perfect plan of blessing.  God has a job for them to do that He is trying to groom them for.  We, therefore, as parents and guardians, should seek to be vessels of God to help Him form His perfect will for their lives. 
The all-important question is, "Parent, do YOU know?"  How do you know what God's plan is for that child He has placed in your keeping.  Mary had no idea that Jesus would go on to do the mighty works that He was God-ordained to do.  We need to consider our actions.  Have I turned this child in the direction that God wants him to go?  Or, have I yelled, beat and abused His handiwork in such a manner that this child might not ever respond to God's prompting?  The next time your anger or jealousy prompts you to action, remember one more scripture--Mt 25:40--Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.  Let us be careful to mold and not to mar.  Let me ask it one more time, "Parent, do you know?"
Pass this on, please.