I glance up to check on The Stinker's row of corn and realize he's left several weeds in between each good plant. I kneel down to show him the difference between the grass that he should pluck and the small grass of the corn. He examines them and confirms that he now knows which to pull and which to leave.
And as I walk back to my own row, it occurs to me that this is why children need parents. They don't know the weeds from the vegetables. They don't always recognize what will harm them from what will benefit them. Without our guidance, they might step all over a good relationship and walk all over a heart because they don't realize what they are doing. Without our guidance, they might leave a weed that would be better removed from their life -- a movie, a show, a book, a person, a habit.
There are some that say this approach is restrictive. They think we should allow children to experience everything without limits because they'll just want to do what is forbidden or will be exposed to it at some point anyway. I disagree. I know I'm just tending to the ones God entrusted to me. I'm helping them to recognize that there is a Gardener of their hearts that truly cares about what kinds of seeds they plant and grow in their souls. And I want the harvest to be good.
"And we pray . . . . that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God." (Colossians 1:9-11)
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener." (John 15:1)
14 comments:
so true. so very very true. we are their parents for a reason...to PARENT them. there's such a thing as over-protecting our children, but we ultimately need to teach our kids how to make the right choices. love this post.
btw....we have a veggie garden too and my older two's geatest joy on this earth right now is searching the plants for potato bugs and ladybugs. we're still trying to convince them to leave the ladybugs on the plants!!
I love this post...it is so true!
Beautiful post. Every deed is a seed, and we must be so careful to consider what we allow to take root and grow in our children.
Loved this :o)
I agree! What a great way to put it!
This is an excellent post that every parent should read. As much as kids sometimes rebel against our authority, God gave them parents for a reason! So many good points and parallels in your post.
I agree...love and guidance....
Mmm. That is warm and nourishing like Oatmeal;-)
This post brightened my day on a particularly rainy one. I love finding blogs that are rooted in the gospel. Thank you.
Best,
Hannah Katy
Completely agree. Our children need our guidance. I don't know who I would be if it weren't for my parents...and I hope to impart similar wisdom to my kiddies. Beautiful post.
Completely agree. Our children need our guidance. I don't know who I would be if it weren't for my parents...and I hope to impart similar wisdom to my kiddies. Beautiful post.
So true!! Love this application! =)
Agreed. I know a child whose parents believed in letting live without restrictions and now, he does not know how to pick up on social cues and is at times disrespectful. He was never steered in the right direction and now he's all over the place.
That was a very profound way of explaining it.
I loved it!
You are right! I think it's good to expose them to things that will benefit them. I'm happy to protect my sweet one from the harms of the world for as long as possible.
I'm so glad I stopped by tonight. First I cried a bit for your friends, then I prayed and then, well then I found this touching post. I love the way you put this into words, can't wait to read more from you
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