I have this fear of raising my children wrong. I guess it all started when they put Audrie in my arms at the hospital and this wave of humility rushed over me. I remember thinking, I cant believe God has given this gift to me...now what do I do?
After a month or two, I begin getting the hang of things and we got a routine. I figured out what advice worked for us and what didnt. I began thinking, oh this isnt going to be as hard as I thought. Until she became a toddler. And not only was her mobility a challenge, but the fact that I had to start real discipline. It is a scary thing to me.
One of my favorite shows of all time is Intervention. It just sucks me in. I love watching the character develop over time and figuring out why they are the way they are. But then I think of my sweet little Audrie and how all of these people were babies at one time. How does this sweet child grow into a drug abuser or alcoholic. Usually, they have experienced a parental divorce, some have experienced abuse and some have parents who were drug abusers themselves. So I think ok, if I dont get a divorce, beat my kid or do drugs then it will be ok. Ha! Seriously, it is a scary tasks set before us as parents. No one wants to screw up their children, so to speak.
The book I am reading currently, "What the Bible Says about Parenting", by John MacArthur offered me some relief. Every child is born a sinner. We come into the world with sin in our hearts. It is a very hard concept to wrap my mind around at times, because you want to think that this child you have is so innocent. AND I know she is not innocent. I figured that out long ago, but I sure hate to think of her a sinner. But she is. It is her nature. Just like it is mine. So basically, we dont have to DO anything to "screw" up our kids, it starts from the moment they are born. Sin is the problem.
Oh, but there is hope! The same hope we have found in God through our salvation. We cannot just sit back and bring our children to church weekly and hope they turn out ok. We have to raise our children in the grace and admonition of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 6:7 says it best,
"Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
It is not about what parents DO that matters, it is about what parents DONT DO. We are sinners and cannot possibly be perfect parents, but we do have a responsibility to parent our children according to scripture.
More on this to come...I am only chapter 2...this is some good stuff!
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing this. It is so true that we must apply the gospel message through our parenting. I hope and pray that I will be faithful in doing it. I'm interested to hear what you are learning from this book.
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