You know the expression: Teachers say it about difficult parents, to explain the behavior of the children. People say it when the children of criminals become criminals themselves. Or when children raised by alcoholics become alcoholics: “THE APPLE DOES NOT FALL FAR FROM THE TREE.” Children follow the model placed before them.
But there are other options—there are rare children who choose more-virtuous paths than those walked by their parents. And many children choose less-virtuous paths. The less-virtuous path is easy. Sin is easy.
Maybe that explains what for me has always been one of the mysteries of the Bible: why do Godly parents sometimes raise ungodly children?
Consider Samuel:
“Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel…. However, his sons did not walk in his ways—they turned toward dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice” 1 Samuel 8:1,3.
The sons of Samuel took bribes? SAMUEL? What happened? Samuel appears to have lived a life of integrity, yet his sons did not. It is not clear whether Samuel sinned, failed as a parent, or both, or neither. All we know is, this man of God raised two men who must have disappointed him deeply.
And we can only respond to that with GRACE. It is too late for Samuel’s children, and it is too late for the wayward children we know—they are already wayward or we would not be thinking of them as we read this. The only thing left to do is to show GRACE to the parents. God forgave Samuel (assuming there was something to forgive) and He will forgive and give grace to us and to everyone around us who might fail as parents—and when we do NOT fail, but are nevertheless disappointed by difficult children. We must have GRACE for others, and for ourselves.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ” Romans 8:1.
God, help us LOVE ourselves and others who struggle with difficult children.
ΑΩ
Household Words: 