Family Faith - Christian Ambition
What Are We Really Aiming Our Family Toward?
The snow had been falling since early morning, soft and steady, the kind that quiets everything it touches. The neighborhood looked different under its white blanket—simpler somehow, as if the world itself had been gently hushed.
Inside the Talanoa home, winter moved at a slower pace. Coats hung drying by the door. A pot of soup simmered on the stove. The children’s boots rested in a neat row, still dusted with snow.
Anna Talanoa stood at the kitchen sink, watching her children through the window as they traced crooked lines across the yard with their boots. Their laughter drifted back toward the house, light and unburdened. For a moment, she felt deeply grateful.
Then, quietly, the familiar weight crept in.
Are we doing enough?
Are we preparing them well enough?
Are we falling behind without realizing it?
Her phone buzzed on the counter behind her. She didn’t need to turn around to know what waited there—images of success, achievement, and carefully curated lives. Families are doing more. Becoming more. Appearing more.
Anna reached for the phone, paused, and gently turned it face down.
That evening, after Leilani and Micah were tucked into bed, the house grew still. Tavita Talanoa sat at the table across from his wife, his hands wrapped around a warm mug. A single lamp lit the room, casting soft shadows against the walls. Outside, the snow continued to fall.
“I feel like everyone else is running,” Anna said quietly. “And sometimes I’m afraid we’re standing still.”
Tavita listened, as he often did, without rushing to answer. He glanced around the room—the simple table, the tidy counters, the quiet peace of a home at rest.
“Maybe,” he said at last, “we’re not meant to run.”
Anna looked up.
“What if God isn’t asking us to give them more?” Tavita continued. “What if He’s asking us to teach them how to be faithful?”
The word settled between them.
Faithful.
Not impressive.
Not loud.
Not something the world applauds.
Just faithful.
They thought of the small, ordinary choices they made every day—the meals eaten together, the prayers whispered before sleep, the evenings spent reading instead of scrolling. None of it looked extraordinary. But it felt steady. Rooted.
Scripture came quietly to mind, the way it often does in moments of stillness:
“Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”
— 1 Corinthians 4:2
They weren’t raising a brand.
They weren’t building a platform.
They were stewarding hearts.
The next morning, the family gathered around the table as sunlight filtered through the window. Anna set bowls of oatmeal before the children, topping them with apples and cinnamon. Tavita listened as Leilani spoke excitedly about something she hoped to become someday.
“That sounds wonderful,” he said gently. “But remember—no matter what you do, what matters most is that you follow Jesus.”
Leilani nodded, not fully understanding yet—but watching.
Always watching.
Later that week, a paper came home from school listing awards and rankings. Anna felt the familiar tug again. She could push harder. Add more. Sign them up for one more activity.
Instead, she prayed.
As winter slowly loosened its grip and the snow began to melt, Anna realized something had shifted. Ambition hadn’t disappeared from their home.
It had been redeemed.
They still worked hard.
They still dreamed.
But they no longer chased approval.
They practiced faithfulness.
Jesus had lived this way Himself—never hurried, never grasping, always obedient. He sought the Father’s will above applause and trusted God with the outcome.
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…”
— Matthew 6:33
And so, in that quiet winter season, the Talanoa family chose a different measure of success. One the world might never notice—but heaven surely would.
Teaching This Truth to Children
Big Idea
God wants us to be faithful, not to be better than everyone else.
Talk Together
Sometimes it feels like we have to be the best at everything. But God doesn’t ask us to compete—He asks us to trust Him and do our best with what He’s given us.
Scripture
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord.”
— Colossians 3:23
Practice This Week
Choose one thing to do carefully and kindly without trying to impress anyone.
Prayer
“Jesus, help us follow You and trust You with everything. Amen.”
