What a wonderful message from Steve Noble's Love One Another series. We talk about this a lot in our parenting seminars and sessions. Our kids need to know that they do not have to be perfect (they also need to know that they cannot be perfect). We are ALL sinners and fall so short of God's glory. Thank God for Jesus Christ! Amen!!!!!
Christ paid the price for forgiveness of our sins with his death on the cross. Though we are sinners, we are saved through our faith in our savior, Jesus Christ.
We parents sin. Our parents sinned as did their parents and so on and so on. Our kids need to know that we struggle with sin just as they need to know that we parents know our kids struggle from time to time. When our kids see our struggles, they can see our faith in action. They can see how we work on becoming more righteous and holy as we struggle every minute to be the people God intends us to be. We may not get there today or tomorrow - or maybe never. But God never gives up on us.
But just like our heavenly Father who continues to love us and provide for us and be merciful to us and listen to us and carry our burdens and provide us with ways out and forgive us and heal us and calm us (etc.) in spite of our sinful nature, our kids need to know that there is nothing they can do to loose our love (or to gain our love). They do not have to earn our love - ever. We may be disappointed, frustrated, angry and even at the "end of our ropes" with their sin, be we cannot withhold our love. We are so blessed that our heavenly Father never ceases loving us - no matter how frustrating it must be sometimes.
As Mark Gregston (from Heartlight Ministries A@ www.heartlightministries.org/), our kids need to always know that there is nothing they can do to have us love them more and there is nothing they can do to have us love them less.
Let's love our kids - even with warts, blemishes, C minuses and sins - they are a gift from God.
Thank you, God, for loving us through all of our shortcomings. Amen.
May God continue to bless your family.
Scott
LOVE ONE ANOTHER (Day 18) > > > Hand Holding
Galatians 6:1a, 2
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
We all struggle with sin. Some days seem better than others…but the life of every Christian has its ups and downs. Today’s verse isn’t addressing our occasional sins, but the ones we tend to struggle with on a regular basis…ones that our family lives may make difficult to avoid.
It could be impatience, or anger, or disrespect, or disobedience. Whatever it is, one of the key’s to overcoming it is found in the actions of more mature Christians…as long as they are gentle and humble. If your younger sibling is struggling with his or her anger, yelling at them isn’t the solution; you need to gently counsel them towards patience and self-control with a calm voice. The same goes for parents!
Finally, Paul urges us to share our burdens. When a sibling or child or spouse sins, our reaction shouldn’t be anger or condemnation or wrath. It should be compassion…as if they fell down and scraped their knee. You heart should ache for them and your reaction should be to help…not to yell at them.
APPLICATION: This is a tricky topic because it usually means the older siblings have a different role than the younger ones. The most important thing we need to do is learn to approach one another’s sins with gentleness and humility, seeking to help one another down the road of spiritual maturity. Discuss the right ways and wrong ways to react to each other’s sin.
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