December 8: Parenting and Authority

Hosea 10:1-14:9

Jude 1:1-25

Psalm 127:1-5

Proverbs 29:15-17

As I read today's readings, I was still in the throes of celebration and regret, as two days prior my daughter turned 17 but I was half way around the world and unable to celebrate with her.  The readings were particularly interesting from the standpoint of two things: 

1. a news article that discussed the concept of "parent shaming" - how some children would take their smartphones and record video of their parents reprimanding and correcting them, and would then post those videos to the internet with very disrespectful comments - "parent shaming" - in hopes of teaching their parents a lesson not to reprimand them that way again.  The commentary was interesting - the reputation of liberal media suggests the discussion would encourage acceptance and understanding, but the commentators were pretty firm about the need for discipline.
   
2. ongoing reports about violent protest following the shooting death of an unarmed man months ago - a man who, by most credible accounts, died because he disobeyed and attacked authority.  Legally he was a man, but I cannot help but recognize he was less than two years older than my daughter.

Hosea discusses such children - "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.  But the more they were called, the more they went away from me."  These children would seem to be the fruit of those who, "on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings", of "scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires" that Jude writes about, the ones Enoch meant when he talked about "grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires".  Jude further writes "these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct - as irrational animals do - will destroy them."

Sadly, the reading in Proverbs makes it clear what causes this - "a rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother...discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire."  And the OT reading from Hosea discussing the consequences of disobedience makes it clear the example the Lord gives us, Who teaches us to walk in His ways, and hopes we obey.  

My parents were excellent examples of the diligent and disciplining love our God has for us - examples I did not appreciate until I had children of my own; and I learn from more and more, each day I am privileged to be a parent to my own children.  I know how difficult I made it for them to want to keep up the effort to discipline me, how much and how often I must have been cause for despair.  The secret my parents had, however, is a relationship with God.  As they raised me, they were the epitome of "unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain."  They surrendered their parenting to God.  I pray I show the same good sense to surrender my parenting to Him, and the same resolve and diligence with my children, particularly my daughter with whom we probably have only a few more months together before she goes off to college.