Parenst Fail because they are - Not Consistent
These are the parents that are saved and trying to be Christ like in their walk. The problem is that they are not walking this way everyday. They are hit & miss with their faith. One day they are out witnessing for the Lord & singing "I've got so much to thank Him for" or "I am blessed". The next day they are giving the lady at McDonald's a fit because they forgot to put pickles on their Big Mac. One day they are taking groceries to the needy family down the street that have nothing & the next day complaining because all they have is bologna.
This same inconsistency comes out in the way you raise your children. One day you punish them & the next day you let them slide for the exact same thing. Learn this about children. They, just like you, are sinners. Isaiah 53:6 says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way..." While we are trying to raise our children right, their sinful nature is pulling them toward wrong. Think about it, you never have to teach them to do wrong. You have to teach them to do right.
That being said, here is what they do. They will walk as close to the guidelines or rules that you have set for them as they can. They know where they can go & how far they can go without getting in trouble. They will push you to see how much you will allow. Your inconsistencies will cause them to consistently try to get by with their will. If they think that they can get by, they will certainly try. On the other hand, if they know that you will not budge, even a little bit, they will stop trying to cross that line.
We have to be consistent in the day to day duties of a Christian parent. Our children need to know that certain things will be punished. It doesn't matter when, how, or where, they must know that certain things will not be tolerated & that there are some things that they will do. If they think they can get away with something because people are around they will try. If they think that they can get away because you are in Wal-mart & not at home, then they will try.
Be consistent in your speech. If you said you would punish for bad or reward for good, you better do it. If they see that you are just talk, then they'll get to where they listen to nothing you say. You will become "as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal". But, if you do what you said you would, every time that you said you would, then your words would carry more weight with them. They would quickly figure out how sincere you were in what you told them. May God help us to be CONSISTENT!
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