"We Were Experts"
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Before we had kids, we were all perfect parents ... at least in our minds! We'd read the books and we'd studied the parents around us — we were experts in child-rearing, with all the answers on "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and beyond! Everything made sense until we walked out of the hospital with our newborn in our arms and realized we didn't know what we were doing! And it wouldn't get any easier as they grew up. So, where do we turn when the strategies don't work, and everyone has a different opinion? It's easy to forget you have the best parenting example ever available to you. His book isn't in the parenting section, but our heavenly Father is the only perfect parent. So as we try to give our kids a stable foundation and shape them into the people we hope they'll become, what can we learn from God about parenting?
The Big Idea
We can find our way in our parenting dilemmas by looking up. Maybe you had fantastic parents, or maybe not. But your primary model can't come from them or any earthly source. When you need illumination, consider how the "Father of lights" (James 1:17) deals with his children.
Despite our failures, God constantly shows us his love (Eph. 1:3-14; Matt. 7:11). Do our kids see our love for them as clearly? He fights for us (Neh. 4:20), protects us (2 Thess. 3:3), and provides for us (Matt. 6:26-33). He leads and patiently corrects us (Joel 2:12-13). He gives us room to choose wrong but never gives up on us (Hosea 11:1-9).
The Father doesn't foster our sense of entitlement by indulging our every desire, but he does give us what we need (James 4:2-3). Sometimes, what we need is discipline (Heb. 12:8-9). And sometimes, it's grace (Eph. 2:4-10). God does the difficult work of shepherding and shaping us. May we all develop as parents in his image.
The Big Question
What do you still have to learn from God about parenting?
