Funny that when our children push our buttons we think we are the only parents to experience such misbehavior. Oh, the disobedience! How many times must we tell them to do this or not do that? Remember Adam and Eve? God, the Father, gave them everything they needed…in Paradise no less! He had only one request – do not eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The serpent tempted Eve, who promptly disobeyed her Father. Not only that, she gave it to Adam, who (although he also knew better), also disobeyed. Then, as children will do, they hid from their Father.
Did the Father beat them? No. Did He stomp his feet and scream at them? No. Did He lecture them until their eyes rolled back in their heads? No. Did He brush it off and say, “Well, maybe you didn’t really understand what I meant when I said, ‘Do NOT eat…’ so I’ll give you another chance.” Um, no. He prescribed a consequence before he ever told them what they could and could not eat. When Adam and Eve disobeyed, God calmly followed through.
Our children are independent adults. Jim and I didn’t learn that very valuable parenting lesson until they were 13, 14 and 15. God gives us the wisdom to be good parents. Instead of reaching for His word, however, we often seek the opinions of child and adolescent experts. Most of the time all we need to do is turn off the television, the tablet, the computer, the phone and the radio, and find the Word.
A Gospel reading from Luke 11:5-13, tells us, “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Jesus goes on to say that our Father in heaven will give us the Holy Spirit…all we have to do is ask.
I only wish I would have paid attention to the example God put in front of my face so very long ago. But remember, we have to ask. Sometimes we may find it difficult to know what to ask for. Better and more well behaved children? No. A happier life? No. A fairy godmother or a winning Powerball ticket? No. Ask for the Holy Spirit. He will come in peace, clothed in light, in love and in mercy. He will provide those who ask with abundant wisdom and humility. Be persistent, and learn from the example of The World's Best Dad.