"Protecting open, nonjudgmental dialogue about difficult subjects with our kids is key. Maybe less when they are six, but when they are sixteen, they need to know they can ask hard spiritual questions without getting shut down, patronized, or dismissed. Fear is what generally makes us react with dogmatism (Slippery slope! Dangerous questions! Future heretic!), but God has never turned away a seeker and neither should we. Our children can press extremely hard on the gospel and it will hold." Jen Hatmaker
The last sentence is what got me the most. "Our children can press extremely hard on the gospel and it will hold".
Too often...even as adults, we forget this. I so often say yes to things that I should say No to because I worry about the effect it will have on my life. I worry about the effect it will have on my children's lives. Like saying no to "duel sports", or saying no to heading up a committee that I have no time for. I've been reading a book called "The Best Yes". This book talks about committing only when you have enough of you to give it your all.
For me...sometimes I commit to things because I feel like that is what the person asking wants me to do. I don't commit because it is what I should or need to do. This week, we were in over our heads as far as our schedule is concerned. We need to say no sometimes for our sake and for the sake of our family. We cram as many things in as we can to get our kids in the right place or to keep them from falling behind. We do the same things to ourselves to please others.
Who pays the price for that?
Our family.
We don't sit at the table for dinner. We cram homework into breakfast time. We have cranky kids and fussy parents because we said yes when we should have fallen on what we know to be true. Our faith. I spend many nights thinking about the what ifs in this world. If we say no...what if? What if we say no and they don't ask "him" to be on the team again? What if we say no and "they" think we're not a dependable employee. What if we say no and we don't get included to go with that group of friends again?
The what ifs are to be answered by what we know to be true.
What if we said no...and the consequence that takes place...is exactly what is supposed to happen to us...to our kids...to our jobs...FOR our families?
We can press extremely hard on the gospel and it will hold.
Food for thought. What better way to teach our children about the strength of our faith, than to test it every now and again?
Have a blessed day!
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