September 4: Of Paul and Parents, and What Children Don’t Need

Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18

2 Corinthians 7:8-16

Psalm 48:1-14

Proverbs 22:17-19

Today's NT reading is reassurance and guidance for the parent.  Extrapolating from Paul's experience, our children do not need us to be their friends, they need us to be their parents.  

If anyone wants to hear parenting stories of pain, challenge, suffering and - at times - despair, you really should get my parents to talk.  How crazy are the stories?  I won't steal their thunder, but I will say my mom used to both laugh and cry reading about the antics of Dennis the Menace and Calvin of "Calvin and Hobbes".  Here's a conversation starter: ask them about comic books and spanking.  

The thing is, my parents did used to punish me growing up (and for the record, I am grateful they did, else I'd probably be writing this from prison).  But while I went and nursed my hurts afterwards, I never knew till much later how much it broke their heart that such discipline was necessary.  But they did it anyway - every time I needed it.  Like Paul to the Corinthians, they caused me sorrow, and while they did regret the need to do so, they didn't regret doing so because the pain they caused led to repentance.  I think it still makes them smile in wonder that they disobedient son they had is now writing scripture blogs. 

Paul was wise enough to recognize when and how the Corinthians needed to be corrected, and strong enough to confront the need for correction.  He didn't condone their faults, he called them out at risk of rejection.  As parents, we inevitably want our children's love and acceptance (shh…don't tell them).  But sometimes we have to be prepared to face rejection in order to follow Paul's example, and bring them up in the ways of the Lord.  They don't need us to be their friends - they need us to be their parents.  

Father, give us parents the wisdom to recognize when our children need guidance, and the courage and strength to provide it, even at risk of their rejection.