Today was kind of an interesting day at my house.
But first,a few days ago, I put a for sale sign in the window of my awesome 1990 chevy lumina. I always wished that Exibit would rollup and take my car and Pimp My Ride. Never happened though. Anyway, my for sale sign was prompted by our neighbor across the street who no longer wanted that eyesore in front of her house. I did that at about 7pm. Well....8pm rolled around and we were putting the kids to bed and right before bed every night we pray as a family. That night, I told my son Jack to pray that our car would sell fast and would sell for the 500 dollars we wanted. He prayed. We were done praying when all of a sudden someone called on the phone. It was someone who wanted to purchase our car. I yelled to Jack that God was beginning to answer the prayer already. I went outside and the guy was waiting by the car. I told him of all the problems and what I had done to it. He drove it and I had to give him some pointers such as: at a stop sign, put it into nuetral and rev it up a bit. He brought it back and the next day took it to his mechanic. He called again and he wanted to buy it. It was not for 500 but 275 would suffice for me.
What an awesome thing for a 4 year old boy to see his God at work. I wonder how many opportunities I have missed to give my kids the opportunity to see Him work. God help me to take those opportunities.
Today I worked a half day at my office amidst a painter painting away in my office. I didn't get too much work done, but I had some good conversation and cleaned my office up a bit.
I went home at noon and the first thing I hear is my daughter crying. I go in to see what had happened and as it had turned out, she had made a minor discretion that required punishment. My wife was about administer the necessary means to restore order. Hmmmmm....a verse comes to mind about spoiling a child. Anyway, as any good dad should, I rescued my wife from having to do the punishing and told her to let me do it. Well I did not know that it had become a sort of battle of wills. My daughter would not assume the correct position to encounter the punishment and she very stealthily placed her hands in a defensive position behind her to block anything that may come into contact with her. Neither of her hands would budge, and she needed to move them and in a sense submit. She has some endurance I must say. this went on for a good 45 minutes. As the submission did not happen, the punishment became worse. My daughter is a very smart child and she has beautiful eyes that could melt and a sobbing cry that could talk anyone into anything.....but I am DAD, I will not budge....right? Well after a few administered encounters with the backside, she still would not willingly move her hands. No matter what we did. After that 45 minutes and some "encouragement" she decided what was best for was to move her hands. I stood my ground and did not give in and I knew that this would be a triumph of submission and a life lesson for her life to come. The entire time, I was not sure if what I was doing was the best way--as a lot of us parents feel a lot of the time--but I pressed on. But when it was over, something amazing happened. I stood her up and looked at her eye-to-little brown eye, holding each side of her little sweat and tear soaked head as it was mildly moved by a sob here and there and told her over and over again that I loved her as my eyes welled up and I began to sob at the thought of how much I loved her. We hugged and I kissed her many more times than she got spanked. Mr. Tough Guy Dad who was going to be the one to punish became a father who so dearly loved his child enough to punish her when she had done wrong and didn't want her to do it again.
Automatically my mind raced to Hebrews 12
"My son or daughter, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."[a]
I know we are not supposed to rewrite Scripture to make it say what we want, but could I just imagine it differently as a proverb of sorts for young people?...
"Son's and Daughters, don't think it is a little thing when your Dad disciplines you,
and do not be discouraged when He lets you know you have done wrong and
corrects you.
because your Dad disciplines you because he loves you,
and He does it because you are his child and He accepts you for who you are, but wants you to make better choices and to obey Him."
God loves us so much and considers us His children that he takes time out to punish us. When we see God's punishment as love, we might just have a better understanding of our own parents or even of your discipline of your own kids. We are to love as God loves. Will we do that perfectly? Nope, but as we look at God's Word and how he treats us, we can learn rich lessons of being a parent and through it God will show us His Glory.
My daughter may not remember this punishment in the future, but the rest of the day, she didn't shun me or run away from me, she desired my love and affection and care. I was the one that day whom she wanted to hug and squeeze and save her from the monster running around the house....well, that was just mom playing a funny game. But the punishment drew us closer together and not further apart. Maybe that has something to do with the faith of a child. Maybe God built in to us the knowledge that punishment done in Love should draw us closer. When we are young that may work. For I remember in my family it was called "making up" and usually it was the child who wanted to make up with the parent. Later on, because of our sinful nature and flesh, that response may not happen as my daughter gets older, but I will cherish it now as a reflection of God.
