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Annie Pliego Photography

This Thursday of Borrowed words I want to share with you a quote from a book I am now reading, Give Them Grace; Dazzling Your Kids With the Love of Jesus by Fitzpatrick and Thompson. I have read many books on parenting, but I think this is the first time I encounter an encouragement like this for parents whose children are not walking in the ways of the Lord, whose children are “difficult children”. (As soon as I finish reading this book I will share with you my review). 

“We think that compliant children will best teach us about his grace and the gospel, and they can. Compliant, believing children are frequently reflections of his great kindness. But the Lord also teaches us of his grace and the gospel through difficult children. We learn what it is like to love like he loved. We learn how to walk in his footsteps, and it is there, in our personal “upper room,” where we learn how to wash the feet of those who are betraying us. It is there, kneeling before our rebellious children, that the real power of God is demonstrated. The compliant child’s life lies to us, assuring us that she is good because we’re such good parents. Difficult children tell us the truth: God loves his enemies, and he can infuse us with grace that will make us lay down our lives for them too. Their rebellion is a verification of the gospel: we produce sinful children because we are sinners, but God loves sinners. God’s power is displayed through our failures when we tether ourselves to the gospel message of sin and forgiveness, no matter how desperate the situation becomes.”

Let us remember in prayer today those families whose children are walking astray. Let us not look at them with a prideful and judgmental eye. Let us have compassion for them and a heart that reaches to them through prayer.

Let us not forget, not  even for a second, that if our children are walking in the Lord it is because of His Amazing Grace, not because of our abilities as parents, or our methods; it is in spite of us, in spite of our sinfulness, in spite of our shortcomings, in spite of our wrong and selfish motives, that they are where they are now.

Under His sun and by His grace,

Becky