I started seedling this year, early in January. Although it was freezing outside, I had a plan, seeds and some soil. At the first sign of life, I was jumping over the roof just to see the things we can accomplish. Weeks went by and my little dinning room got crowded of trays. So on the first sign of heat, and we had some really neat warm days in February, I took the seedling out. Then the weather changed again to its winter beauty and all seedlings died.
Isn’t this similar to what we face in life? Life is a process with specific rules to play by. Those rules are to be followed if we want to flourish. We also need experienced people around us so we can get advice of those who have succeeded and know Creation well enough to plan and get fruit.
Genesis 24, in the Bible, tells us one awkward love story. An ancient men called Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son. There were specifics based on roots and beliefs. The servant prays for specific signs and the answers come just as specific. Now unlike our times; this love story had zero, none of the visual part that is always bombarded as a requirement. This young lady understood God was in the making, just like her father and brother. All of them agreed to the same. So when the servant asks to leave and take the divinely chosen bride to the awaiting husband; she says yes. They take off and when they get there, she covers her face (again no visual). The groom listens to the servant, and everything God had done for the bride to be there. He gladly takes her in and consummate marriage.
In the journey of parenting, we are to recognize over and over again that the Creator has the best plan. His results are unmistaken.
Should parents seek God to guide their children? Always, His Spirit in us would fill us up with love and wisdom everyday.
Should parents get involved on their kid’s choices? Of course. Remember, we are talking about under age kids, children are in the process of brain, physical and emotional development. No one is responsable for their growth, stability, and well being more than the parents. I always tell my children that there is a reason authorities cannot let them drive, shoot, etc. until that period of life is over, but also certain requirements are fulfilled.
Can children do all things before 18’? You bet! Should they do all things? Absolutely not. Some things can affect their well-being, others have consequences that affect others- like pregnancy as a result of sex. If I would let my 2’ or even my 14’ choose the menu everyday, I would only need to have fried nuggets, noddles, sodas, and candies in my grocery list.
Is it because kids/ teens are bad? Absolutely not. It is because they are growing, and pleasure is still above everything. The mature decision making measures consequences, and the knowledge needed to do what is right develops in adulthood.
In the process of growing, we parents also go through a process of giving a vote of trust as long as the little one is maturing and showing responsibility. This means that the more they grow and mature, the less we need to intervene on their decisions.
There is one Creator of life and one design to live by. There is one who is in control of the froze and the heat, we can only do so much but life in its natural environment happens depending on the Ruler of all Heavens. God gives us those specifics in His word, if we are constantly meditating, we find the ways of life. Ways that help us to also explain and guide our little ones in all truth.
Once we have grown with our little ones, day by day guiding them to their own convictions and foundations of life, they start making good decisions. They will need discernment, but they can count on us to discern when something is a divine eternal provision or a mere moment of pleasure. Beauty was the non existent pleasure that was never found in the love story of this ancient people. Divine provision, trust and faith was present everywhere. The story had a very happy ending.
Are we growing and raising a functional beautiful garden ? Or are we just letting the universe guide our seeds while expecting a great harvest?
Rules are everywhere, authorities are needed for society to function. It is the responsibility of the grown up to guide those in the process of development to continue to grow.
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