Humbling March 31, 2008
Posted by Erin in : General Lessons , trackbackJoe,
If I were to pick my top five words to describe parenting, “humbling” would definitely be among them. The longer I have been a parent, the more I have realized how proud and arrogant I am. And God in His mercy has used our children to show me that. this hit me once again as I read a quote from Jay Adams’ book “Christian Living int he Home” last night.
“The notion that the Christian home is a perfect or near perfect place is decidedly no Biblical. The parents in the home often fail; often they fail miserably. They fail one another, they fail their children, and they certainly fail God. The children fail too. They bring home report cards with Ds and Fs, throw tantrums in the shopping mall, and try to eat peas off their knives when the preacher has been invited to dinner. Husbands and wives quarrel, get irritated with one another, and sometimes have serious misunderstandings. Of course, there are accomplishments too; but the point that I want to make is that conditions are frequently far from ideal. That is the realistic picture of a truly Christian home.”
When I read that quote, although it hit right in the center of my pride that wants to have it all together as a wife and mother, it brought a sense of relief as well. The legalistic part of me that wants to keep earning my way to God by running on a spiritual gerbil wheel gave a big sigh of relief. Being a Christian parent is not about having the best behaved kid! What great news that is, because anyone who knows us knows we don’t have perfect kids.
For so long I struggled with the thought that if you input the right parenting formula out should come a perfect Christian kid. So when our kids struggled, I always looked to see what I was doing wrong. Now I am not saying there is no room for looking at what we are doing. But underneath all of our parenting philosophies must lie the foundation of the grace of God. We can do everything “right” as a parent and it is still the grace of God to change our children’s hearts to be people who love Jesus above all else and trust in Him for their forgiveness of sins and happiness forever.
You gave a great example last night after your game when you said it is like you expecting that if you read your Bible and pray every day then you will always have the perfect reaction to a bad call or a grumbling teammate in a game. Life doesn’t work that way. We are sinners and the process of sanctification is often slow. Especially with our children, who may or may not have had the change of heart we have been blessed with.
Adams goes on to give hope though. Although we are sinners, as Christians we admit our sins, know what to do about our sins and progress out of our sins. This is the great news of the gospel. The gospel is not a perfect outward appearance, but sinners being saved and changed by grace. And as a parent I am seeing this more and more clearly every day!
Standing amazed at the grace of God with you,
Erin
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