Loving....Correcting....Instructing

"What you allow, you encourage." ~Michael Josephson

Whether you're raising children, educating children, or trying to make a positive difference in yourself or your workplace, you want to set an example. When we turn a blind eye to the little things that are on the verge of right/wrong, we allow that behavior to keep happening. "Oh, they're just a kid...and kids will be kids..", "Oh that's just that person's personality, they didn't really mean it...," "Oh, they're just having a bad day...". And "Boys will be boys?" No way! Not if parents teach their boys to become men! And girls can be ladies and it's not a bad thing! God made each gender to be unique, special, and able to do things and feel things and accomplish things that the other gender wasn't made by Him to do. We were each uniquely made by God for a purpose - His purpose.

When we allow things that are wrong, we become part of the problem and not the solution.

Take time to lovingly correct your children, your students...stand up for yourself (in kindness) when someone offends you. But be KIND. Be LOVING. Be understanding, but teach and instruct and don't neglect to do so.

If no one tells them something is wrong, how will they ever know?

Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it. 

Proverbs 22:6

Losing Everything

Several years ago on a radio show, a mother called in complaining about her 17-year-old son sitting on the couch all day playing video games. The man hosting the show responded with a very uncommon response. He said that she was the parent and that she should take the couch away. He also said to take the video game away. But basically he was telling this mom that she was allowing her son's bad behavior and habits.  Isn't that is good advice?

We read in Luke 15 the story of the prodigal son.  Have you ever noticed in that chapter that the prodigal didn't come to his senses until he had LOST everything he had? He had to go way down to the bottom to be able to look up and see what he was missing.  Sometimes we GIVE our children...or maybe even give ourselves...way too much and then they/we become slaves to it.

Remember that YOU are the parent. Sometimes we as adults have to "lose everything" in order to come to our senses, as well. Sometimes we're no different than that prodigal.

As parents, our children are entitled to love, patience and a host of other godly qualities; however they are not entitled to things that we become slaves to such as cell phones, video games and yes, even cars. Take it away.  A great lesson for us parents, and actually, for all of us!