Poorly Raised
Winter wonderland is here . . . ah . . . I love it! We did have our first snow a few weeks ago but of course it melted after a few hours.
I was thinking about how babies birthday and the judgement day are alike . . . sometimes it seems like it will never come, but once it hits there’s no getting away from it . . . one will meet God and be judged . . . and those labour pains will come and continure to get harder and harder until at last deliverance comes. There’s no way out. It will happen whether one is ready or not.
Last evening we were at friends house and a comment was made that made me stop and ponder and realize the true implications. (My friend grew up in Portugal as a missionaries daughter.) Japheth had said to one or the children, “Where’s your manners?” Bonnie replied, ” In Portugal, they would say ‘Are you poorly raised?’ ”
. . . Hmmmmm, not only is it shame for the child, it is great shame for the parents who didn’t teach the child better . . . It is our responsibility after all, children are NOT born well trained in submission, obedience ect . . . Foolishness IS bound up in the heart of a child just as the Bible says.
And somehow it is especially shameful to me as a mother . . . I am with the chidren day in and day out while my husband is working to provide for us . . . ALOT of this training is up to me, how much do I let the children get by with? How consistant will I be? It does show . . . what is being taught or not taught in the privacy of our homes does come out inthe behaviour of our children.
Though even if I were perfect and did train my children perfectly, I’m sure they would still bring me shame . . . Look at the children of Israel, at God’s children . . . Sometimes it seems useless, it’s heartrending, will they ever learn??? But God keeps on . . . and on . . .and on . . . And so must I . . . if I want to reap good things.
“The rod and rebuke give wisdom,
But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.”
- Proverbs 29:15
November 5th, 2007 at 11:36 am
Where is the line between our responsibility as parents and taking on condemnation in which the enemy tries to destroy us with thoughts of failure and hopelessness? If I can never extend grace and forgiveness to myself and my children, my joy in parenting is gone. I find that I need to look to the Lord for direction as to how to react in each circumstance (and I fail often), but if I fall into the trap of fear of man, our entire family is miserable because I am angry and walk around ready to discipline with every turn and I feel like a failure whenever they are less than perfect.
November 6th, 2007 at 7:17 am
No matter how well or not a parent raises their children; the fact remains. Sin is still in existence. We can teach our children from sun up to sun down; but because of the effects of sin even our precious children can be influenced by satan an his evil purposes. Until one becomes saved they are of the Adamic race. After salvation occurs then that precious child becomes a member of God’s household. Yes our children play out sometimes what they record in their minds at home. But if one will look beyond the action an see the innocence of the unknowing mind of the child then most do understand when a child misbehaves or shows that they have forgotten their manners. Yes we feel a bit of shame when a child reveals the humanness that is in mankind. But aren’t we greatful knowing God’s unfailing love to usward when we to; show that we still need to grow up daily in His wonderful presence. From mothers milk to the solid bread of life!
November 7th, 2007 at 11:03 am
Yeah, Heidi, . . . there needs to be a balance in EVERY thing . . . sometimes we just focis for a bit on one side or the other . . .