BIBLE PASSAGE:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them
into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
(Matthew 7:24)
MEDITATION:
The peace corps has a motto, “The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love”.
It says a lot, and it is a good comment which can be applied to parenting as well.
Parenting is filled with challenges, and more importantly, rewards.
A bond is established early between parents and their children.
Why do children love their parents?
It’s not because their parents are necessarily
better looking or kinder than anyone else.
Initially, children love their parents
because they have needs and parents meet those needs.
It could be referred to as a ‘needs’ love.
Why do couples have children?
It could be that they have a desire for a ‘needs’ love.
In simpler terms, they have a ‘need’ to be ‘needed’.
And that is a God-given need.
The little baby has a ‘needs’ love
and the parents have a ‘need to be needed’ love.
We can understand why there is such a wonderful bond right away.
But sooner or later, a child grows out of that ‘needs’ love.
There comes a natural time when the child
does not need the parent like he or she formerly did.
And it’s the job of parents to help their children prepare to stand on their own.
How well the parents can do that, will help to determine
the quality of a long term relationship with their children.
As parents, we should remember
that we should not try to hold our children too tight.
When we do, the children can pop out of our hands like a wet bar of soap.
And if that happens, the children can make some bad choices.
Too many parents fail to give their children a chance to fail.
Some parents want the children to ‘watch them’ do things
rather than allowing them the opportunity to try (and fail) for themselves.
Teaching them how to recover from failure is part of the learning process.
It doesn’t mean the parent leaves their child alone
and in danger of damaging an object, or harming themselves.
The parent is merely serving in an advisory capacity to help their child learn.
An important part of the learning process is including a ‘hands on’ experience.
Children can often learn more through ‘doing’ than by ‘watching’.
Sure, it may take longer, but the rewards are worth the extra time spent.
Not allowing children to ‘try’, can also result in children making bad choices.
Without realizing it, the parent is communicating
that they have no confidence in the abilities of the child.
As a result, the child has trouble growing into adulthood, and can turn
to any number of bad habits in order to escape their feelings of inferiority.
When parents teach them how to stand alone, as their children grow into
adulthood, they can become the best friends their parents could ever have.
Parents should work themselves out of a job, and when they are successful,
it doesn’t mean they have worked themselves out of a relationship.
It means they have solidified a relationship with their child!
ACTION:
Teaching our children is biblical.
Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
When we teach them properly, we instill in them a confidence that they
can overcome problems (including the challenges thrown at them from Satan).
Even as adults, the scriptures promise to continue teaching us (as God’s children).
Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD. (Psalm 34:11)
Anytime we feel that we have exceeded our need for learning, we are
in danger of developing arrogant pride, which can result in many bad choices.
How does God feel about arrogant pride? He hates it!
Anything God hates should not be a part of our lives.
To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech. (Proverbs 8:13)
God knows the damage caused by arrogant pride,
and He wants His children to be aware of it as well.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)
Where there is strife, there is pride,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice. (Proverbs 13:10)
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)
Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor. (Proverbs 29:23)
The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience is better than pride. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for the things You have taught, and
are teaching me. The closer I get to You, the more I realize I still
have a lot to learn. Thank You for Your Word which is filled with
things I need to learn and know, in order to please You and enjoy
my life here on earth. Help me to become a more patient teacher
to others, and especially my own children. Remind me of the
dangers associated with arrogant pride, and help me to avoid
falling into its pit. Give me the guidance and courage to replace
damaging pride with the virtues of Jesus Christ.”
blog: UTVOLWOODY.WORDPRESS.COM
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