I reckon if you’re exposed to the Bible often enough and you became familiar with certain sections of it, those parts become engrained in your psyche to the point of beginning to think in those terms. Don’t get me wrong, I am not talking about memorising the Word hides it in your heart so that you don’t sin against God. There are those capable of reciting huge chunks of scripture and will pinpoint from memory quotes and stories. Yet their lives fall way short of the characteristics focussed on in that Book. What I mean is, your exposure to Bible world and text infuses your thinking. Later on even the initial thoughts you had can be scrutinised and either reinforced or revised. It’s even more fascinating as those perspectives engage with every day life challenges.
My eldest daughter was naughty again and once more got into a strop when reprimanded. Surely this was the time to act with firmness and establish the line that should not be crossed or else. Yet as I looked at her and noticed aspects of my own attitude in her I realised that the usual methods of ‘enforcing discipline’ could be briefly suspended. Maybe the stern telling-off would suffice. Those with young children should know by now where this is going … In those times I get to thinking about my options. The first is to lay off her – the word should be enough. She is just a girl, she will learn. The second is to reinforce sternly the importance of not being so naughty – if she is let loose now, she won’t be reined in later on. If I let her go now, won’t I be indulging her. If I am too heavy she will feel crushed. I then get to thinking about other parental models.
Take David in the Old Testament. Not that there’s a David in the New Testament to take, but follow me anyway. Now here is the man after God’s own heart. Here is the Goliath-slayer. Here is the man unashamed of his affiliation to God to the point of even praising out of his garments even as King. Warrior and poet, shepherd and King it really looks as though this dude has everything including being a babe magnet, which leads to a serious misstep following a rooftop viewing of a beautiful woman bathing. Now his child by the woman is dead and he is dealing with some of the fall-out including the dodgy issue of fierce sibling rivalry.
One son rapes his step-sister – her full brother kills his brother, yet the mutual Dad still loves the murderous son. Further still despite being banished, stirring a revolt and leading a move to kick his own father from the throne, Absalom remains the apple of his father’s eye.
Initial viewing of this narrative places david as over-indulgent father who is not willing to discipline his children and set his house in order. Yet his desire to love his son is not too different from that of the father of the prodigal son. The act of asking for his stuff is basically a horrific slap in the face to all that his dad. The subsequent hedonistic lifestyle again goes against the grain and can also be seen as undermining what his dad stood for. It is not his remorse and desire to be a slave in his dad’s crib that moves the heart of the father. Indeed the father’s extravagant love is evident even as the son carries on his pity party.
One father eager to show love and another eager to show love likewise. I am not aying they are identical. Get this though. Grace – rain and sun on just and unjust. While were spitting in the face of God with idolatrous and proud predispositions, god sends His son to die for us. How now should I parent? How am I grace-filled father? How will my daughters notice that it is not their works that merit God’s grace? How can I show the sufficiency of grace in the context of disciplining my dear daughters?
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd
Life With CD 