Dear Friends,
Have you ever wondered what your parents would think of what you’ve made of your life? I do, and I think they would have both positive and negative opinions. I’m sure my Mom would concentrate on the good and overlook my many missteps. Many moms are like that.
My Dad would probably think about Proverbs 22:6 and wonder where he could have done better. Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)
If I could speak with my folks, I would let them know I believe they did the best they could. At best, all parents are flawed human beings. We see this in some of our Bible heroes: Adam’s son Cain was a hard worker, but he was jealous and murdered Able, his brother. Lamech’s son Noah was a great ark builder, but he drank too much.
Isaac’s son Jacob was the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, but with the assistance of his mother Rebekah, he conned his brother Esau out of his inheritance. Jacob raised sons who so hated their brother Joseph they sold him into slavery.
Manoah’s son Samson became a great warrior, but his weakness for women led to his destruction. Jesse’s son David was “a man after God’s own heart,” but he was an adulterer and an accomplice to murder. David’s son Absalom lead a rebellion against him, and his son Solomon (who, by the way, wrote Proverb 22) loved the Lord, built His temple — but when “Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
1 Kings 11:4
I imagine everyone of these Bible heroes had times when they wished they had done things differently. Personally, I have been tempted to tear out the page of my Bible that carries Ephesians 6:4: Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. My boys would testify: I majored in exasperation!
Every parent would feel blessed if their children would heed Proverbs 1:8: Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. But truth be told, our instruction may not always be the best and our teaching can fall on ears unwilling to listen. A friend wears a T-shirt with the message: “To Be Old and Wise, You Must First Be Young and Stupid.”
If we keep in mind that there are no perfect parents … no perfect kids, we can build families where Romans 12:18 becomes a guiding principle – If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
When there is friction between family members, our goal as Christians should always be to take the first step toward peace. Sadly, there are situations when the bond between family members has been broken. Sometimes the wounds are so deep that walls of resentment, cemented with unforgiveness, have been erected. This is when praying for the one who hurt you is the surest path to forgiveness and healing.
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone [This includes your parents or children.]. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13
Over the years, I have seen a lot of “Father of the Year” mugs, World’s Best Mom
T-shirts, and “My Kid is Special” bumper stickers. Nice! But the bumper sticker I’d love to see is one that reads, “My Father in Heaven is Perfect — Top that!
Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ
Because He Loves Us Press 