Craig Clouston

I’ll Never!

Children, obey your parents in the Lord.
Ephesians 6:1

“I hate you!” Benny screamed at his dad. “When I have kids, I’ll never treat ’em like this!” And with that, he slammed his door.
Geneva looked at her husband and impishly said, “Sounds like the boy I met in high school. Whatever happened to him?” she teased, hoping to ease her husband’s frustration at having his son stomp off in rebellion.
“For two cents … ” He decided not to finish a statement he knew he didn't mean. “Yeah, I was an awful lot like him, wasn't I?” He reminisced. “I even remember saying the exact same thing to my dad.” Then it hit him. “Am I just like my dad?” he asked.
“Well, I happen to love your father—” she began.
“You weren't his son.” He parried.
“No, but he’s a good man, Paul. And you could do much worse than to emulate your father. As a matter of fact, you are very much like him: kind, compassionate, loving, tender, thoughtful, and considerate. Those are wonderful attributes, and I hope Benny inherits every one of them,” she said with conviction.
Paul knew she meant every word. “I guess those traits got lost in the discipline. Yes, Dad is a good man. I guess Benny is just like me; I never liked the word no either,” he lightheartedly said.

†

Our parents love us. And because they do, they seek to keep us from harm. Rules serve a necessary purpose. That we don’t like them remains irrelevant to the fact we need them.
Sometimes the rules can be imposing. And in the midst of that imposition, we can get out of sorts, forgetting that although everything is permissible, not everything is beneficial (1 Corinthians 10:23).
Most, if not all, of us have made the claim, “I’ll never treat my kids like this!” And with few exceptions, we’ve treated them exactly that way: with love and concern for their well-being. To do otherwise would be to fail them. So when you find yourself facing an obstinate child, consider this: you were once just like them; then try to smile as you enforce the rules.

Prayer

“Father of grace, teach me to be the parent I need to be. Guide my actions and help me to not exasperate my children. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”