Warning!! This post may offend someone!
Before reading this post, please refer to Psalms 119:165. I must preface everything by saying that my kids are not perfect and I am aware of that. However, I am striving to train my children in the way they should go according to my bible. My children have their faults, but that is why I am the parent, to teach them and help them grow.
We mothers are funny creatures! We can look into the face of our snotty nosed, chocolate smeared crumbcruncher, our hearts melt and we desire to give them, not only half of our kingdom, but the whole thing! Often we think doting on them will be helpful, as "we didn't get this, that or the other, when we were children." Sadly, this creates the "give me" attitude and sets our children up for failure in the long run.
Reading in Galatians 5:22-23 regarding the fruits of the spirit, it says: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." If you look in the New International version, just to simplify the words, it says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Notice the two words forbearance and self-control? Many times we teach our children to be loving and kind yet we miss the other fruits of the Spirit that are just as important. Self-control and forbearance (which essentially is the same thing, restraining oneself).
It is in our nature, as a mother (I can only speak from a mother's perspective) to nurture and care for our children. Loving them with an unchanging love, making sure their every need is met, attending to their hurts and pains, soothing their broken hearts, but is giving them their every WANT, in their best interest? Yes, we want them to be happy, but to what degree? Superficial happiness? Or do we want them to mature into a healthy adult, who is not demanding, who understands life is not always fair and they are okay with that? In teaching our children to apply and emulate the fruits of the Spirit, not only will they lead more successful lives but they will be successful Christians.
We mothers are funny creatures! We can look into the face of our snotty nosed, chocolate smeared crumbcruncher, our hearts melt and we desire to give them, not only half of our kingdom, but the whole thing! Often we think doting on them will be helpful, as "we didn't get this, that or the other, when we were children." Sadly, this creates the "give me" attitude and sets our children up for failure in the long run.
Reading in Galatians 5:22-23 regarding the fruits of the spirit, it says: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." If you look in the New International version, just to simplify the words, it says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Notice the two words forbearance and self-control? Many times we teach our children to be loving and kind yet we miss the other fruits of the Spirit that are just as important. Self-control and forbearance (which essentially is the same thing, restraining oneself).
It is in our nature, as a mother (I can only speak from a mother's perspective) to nurture and care for our children. Loving them with an unchanging love, making sure their every need is met, attending to their hurts and pains, soothing their broken hearts, but is giving them their every WANT, in their best interest? Yes, we want them to be happy, but to what degree? Superficial happiness? Or do we want them to mature into a healthy adult, who is not demanding, who understands life is not always fair and they are okay with that? In teaching our children to apply and emulate the fruits of the Spirit, not only will they lead more successful lives but they will be successful Christians.
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