I remember the evening one of our daughters called us from a friend's house.
She was at a sleepover and they were getting ready to watch a movie she was pretty sure our rules didn't allow her to watch. I won't tell you the whole story, but she handled herself in a pretty cool way that night. I was very proud of her.
But what happens when your child comes home saying her best friend's parents aren't Christians because they watch (insert your favorite evil show)? The last thing we want is to help our kids become mini-Pharisees.
What if we helped them learn early on to first be concerned about their own sin before they look for it others? That wouldn't be a bad exercise for grown-up-Pharisees-in-training. Not every choice is as clear in Scripture as all of us think. Every family works out their salvation with fear and trembling.
I know there's great tension in this, but as one person said: We need to determine between the Gospel that saves and the wisdom of wise choices.
If we aren't careful we can end up raising white-washed, bubble-wrapped children who don't have a heart for those who are working it out differently than our families have worked it out. Did I already say there is great tension in this? Yes.
Jesus' heart was overflowing with love for the world. Of all the things you can say about your children, isn't that one of them in the end? That they are humbled by their own need for the Gospel and overcome with compassion, grace and love for everybody else?
And be blessed.
She was at a sleepover and they were getting ready to watch a movie she was pretty sure our rules didn't allow her to watch. I won't tell you the whole story, but she handled herself in a pretty cool way that night. I was very proud of her.
But what happens when your child comes home saying her best friend's parents aren't Christians because they watch (insert your favorite evil show)? The last thing we want is to help our kids become mini-Pharisees.
What if we helped them learn early on to first be concerned about their own sin before they look for it others? That wouldn't be a bad exercise for grown-up-Pharisees-in-training. Not every choice is as clear in Scripture as all of us think. Every family works out their salvation with fear and trembling.
I know there's great tension in this, but as one person said: We need to determine between the Gospel that saves and the wisdom of wise choices.
If we aren't careful we can end up raising white-washed, bubble-wrapped children who don't have a heart for those who are working it out differently than our families have worked it out. Did I already say there is great tension in this? Yes.
Jesus' heart was overflowing with love for the world. Of all the things you can say about your children, isn't that one of them in the end? That they are humbled by their own need for the Gospel and overcome with compassion, grace and love for everybody else?
And be blessed.
3 comments:
PK, why do you often say that we work out our salvation with "fear and trembling"? I guess I don't think of God that way. Even when I was far from God I knew that I deserved whatever I got. I can't recall being afraid of God...I would just reap what I had sown.
Thanks for the question. It doesn't mean we should be afraid. The word means "to continually work to bring something to completion." The “trembling” part is talking about having a healthy respect and awe for God's majesty and holiness and that we'd want to do all we can to honor Him in our lives and lifestyles.
Blessings.
Yes, I am in awe of God's creation and power in our lives. It is a pleasure to honor Him and to call Him Master. Thank you for explaining that...I've always wondered about the expression.
BTW, I think your daughter's respect for your rules was awesome...you must of have been very proud of her.
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