God is the Perfect Parent

Proverbs 13:24
He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

Ever notice what happens when you allow bad behavior to go unchecked with your children? Notice that without correction and discipline your children continue with said unfavorable behavior and even get worse?

God is the perfect parent. Just as our children need diligent and prompt correction and redirection so do we! God will not tolerate poor behavior on our part. Disobedience needs to be corrected promptly before it gets completely out of hand.

The farther away we get from the right path, the harder it is to get back on course. My thoughts are that as much as we must keep ourselves on the right path (with God's leading, direction, and correction), we must also love our children onto the same right path. This includes prompt discipline.

If you are struggling with poor behavior in your children and it doesn't let up regardless of what you do to correct them, perhaps you need to reexamine the situation. Perhaps the child is confused. Perhaps you are sending mixed messages to your child. Are the things you yourself display the same things your child struggles with? Many times we see where we are faltering in our own walk when we look at our children. They display what we ourselves are showing. They are our image. If you do not like what you see in your children, perhaps you need to take a close look at yourself.

What are your actions, your lifestyle, teaching them? Is your language clean? Are you having outbursts of anger? Are your words rude, hateful, hurtful? Everything you say and do, how you respond to things, all of it makes up the examples our children learn from. No matter what you tell your children they should or should not do or say, your actions will speak volumes louder to them.

There should be no double standard here. God has set the perfect example for us to follow. He Himself does not do nor say things that He would not want us to do or say. Why should we place ourselves above the law, as it were, and our children below? If God doesn't hold double standards for us we have no right to do so for our children!

If you are still wondering how to parent, how to respond to your children, how to teach them, simply open your Bible and read God's word. Learn who God is and what He expects from YOU as His child. Set the same standards for your children. Parent your children the same way God, our ultimate Father, parents you.

Ephesians 6:4
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

God's loving correction and redirection for His children are clear, and at times can be harsh by our standards. But God only does what He has to do to get our attention and get us back on track. He doesn't do more than needed, and He will not do less. Sometimes, when we refuse to listen to Him, He allows us to fall on our face. Yet, our beloved Abba never says "I told you so." Instead He is simply there with outstretched arms ready and waiting for us to come running back to Him.

Love your children the way God loves you. And be willing to change yourself, if need be, so that you can display the right examples for your children to live by. It's not just for them that you set this example, but also for yourself. By strengthening your faith and relationship with God, you are showing your children a wonderful example - putting God first in all things is the first step in keeping your feet on the right path, God's path, through life.