Guiding a child through life is much like seeing things from God's perspective. There is a reason God created the birthing and raising of children. There is a reason why people are born not knowing as much as they do by the time they are an adult.
As an adult, we have a different perspective than a child. We can tell a child to do something very simple and for the child, it can sound so daunting, so challenging that they cry and feel stressed at the idea. But from the adult perspective, we know what we ask of the child is not too difficult for the child; and it is almost laughable to see the child so distressed over something that if they were simply willing to do, it would be so easy for them to do.
But instead, they tell you and themselves that it is too hard and they make excuse after excuse as to why they can not obey you.
As an adult you can see the foolishness and self-deception of their excuses and that they are blowing something simple out of proportion. And had they just done what they were told to do their grief and sorrow would be over with.
But they often prolong their disobedience until the adult finally has to give them a consequence if they continue to disobey and continue to make excuses for their disobedience.
Consequences have a way of stirring the mind to get over whatever is hindering it from obedience. When there is no consequence for disobedience, or the consequence is easy to bear or hard to believe it will ever happen then the mind will hold fast to its rebellion/unbelief.
But when the consequence causes greater distress than obedience the command for obedience is quickly obeyed. And when it is obeyed the child realizes it really wasn't as hard as they made it out in their mind to be, and that it is actually a joy to obey, and better to obey.
Although, it may take many failures on the child's part before they realize obedience is actually easier than disobedience.
And so we as adults get a glimpse when we guide children as to what God deals with when He also lovingly desires to guide us.
Adults are known for fainting in their minds and making excuses, justifying their disobedience to God, giving place to a sense of being incapable, doubtful, and stressed by the idea of obedience just as the adult's child has been with them. But as they were with their child, seeing clearly the child is able, so God sees clearly that He does not ask of us to obey anything we are incapable of obeying. He perhaps is near laughing too, saying to us, "Come now my child this is easier for you than you realize! "
Yet, if we continue in stubborn rebellion and disbelief He will remind us there are consequences He has set in place for rebellion, for disobedience to what is good and right.
Did He create these consequences because He is a narcissist that demands our obedience?
Did He create consequences to disobeying Him for His own selfish good?
Guess what I realized when guiding a child?!!
Consequences are for OUR good!!
Because they help us to obey!
We will choose to continue in our unbelief and/ or rebellion if we are not warned of consequences or if we do not suffer consequences. It is through suffering consequences that we learn.
It is through suffering consequences or the fear of suffering consequences that we stop disobeying.
It's unfortunate that we don't simply obey because we love and trust that what God tells us to do is the best choice.
Just as it is sad a child doesn't obey the adult out of love and trust in the adult.
But, some children do learn to trust and obey their parents for the love of their parents and realize their parent's instructions are for their own good.
As do some adults begin to learn that obedience to God is for their best interest and God instructs us out of love not selfish reasons.
So for those who struggle and want to accuse God of being unjust for creating consequences for disobedience, we learn clearly from life and guiding children that consequences are necessary for directing unbelieving, stubborn, and rebellious minds towards what is good and right. We learn that clearly, consequences are for OUR GOOD.
Consequences are not something to despise but rather to be thankful for because without them we will go on in self-destructive ways hurting ourselves and others. For all that is called sin is what does ill to one's neighbor and to one's self. It's clearly illogical to not obey the one who Created Life who knows its design and what works and what doesn't.
Children have a limited understanding so they often disregard their parent's instructions... until they learn and realize mom and dad are right touching a hot stove hurts, I don't want to do that again.
So it is with us. We learn, God is right fornication isn't worth it; the consequences in this life are very devastating, how much more in eternity? Sadly, many have yet to lay this to heart. Because they have yet to suffer more than they find pleasure in their disobedience. Once they suffer more they are likely to forsake it. But for some, it is simply a revelation of God's goodness and love that prevents them from continuing in rebellion.
Guiding children teaches us more about God and His love for us. Children are truly a blessing to this world. God knew what He was doing when He designed life on Earth. What He has done is created a world where free will is possible, thus allowing true love to also be possible. Without the freedom to choose for ourselves, we would not be able to do anything other than be a robot only doing what it was programmed to do. True Love would not exist.
True love requires a choice: a choice to love requires trust and trust is often learned through the failure of not trusting and failure is the result of a consequence, therefore consequences are Good :-) without them, we may not Make the loving choice.
No comments:
Post a Comment