Why Obey?
I had settled down with the 4 younger kids for a time of Bible study one morning. I had in mind the things we would discuss and the things I could teach them. Like so many other times, I had it all planned out: what I would say and questions I would ask.
But sometimes, we get unexpected answers. Answers we never thought of, and we grown- ups are the ones being taught. We were talking about children obeying their parents and reasons for doing so. The answers ranged from "God says we should" to "Our parents are wise" to "We should obey our parents because... they're the Mom and Dad!" (I love 5 year-old thinking!) I was waiting for a particular answer, and I was not disappointed. Finally someone said: "We should obey so we won't get into trouble."
Bingo. That's the one I was looking for. Because it's the worst reason of all, and I wanted to see if anyone of the kids had considered it. After I gently pointed out that avoiding punishment is not a good reason to obey one's parents, I then asked why it's not a good reason.
There was some thought, and then the 9 year old said "If you only obey to stay out of trouble, then it's all about yourself and not the other person." 9 years old, and she possesses more wisdom I did at 29, or 39. How did this happen? Did I do or say something directly or indirectly to impart such thinking to her? Most likely not. Or did she come up with it on her own, or with guidance from the Spirit?
I have no idea, but I was startled and pleased to hear what she thought. Somehow she could see that when there is a child who needs to obey, there is a parent who needs to be obeyed. That it's a relationship of two people and both of them should be considered, and a disobedient child affects not only himself but his parent as well.
It took me a couple of days to wrap my head around that. How true it is with parents and children, but equally so with God and His children. We get this idea that we have to follow a bunch of rules lest we make God angry and incur some kind of punishment. But it's not all about us, is it? It's also about a holy God who loves us sacrificially and wants the best for us, even if we can't see it. His ways are so much higher and better than our ways, and if only we follow Him, while we might not have a perfect life, we will be in fellowship with Him. And that's the safest place we can be.
So I was the one learning that day. And I had to laugh at the way God (once again) used a child to humble me and teach me.
But sometimes, we get unexpected answers. Answers we never thought of, and we grown- ups are the ones being taught. We were talking about children obeying their parents and reasons for doing so. The answers ranged from "God says we should" to "Our parents are wise" to "We should obey our parents because... they're the Mom and Dad!" (I love 5 year-old thinking!) I was waiting for a particular answer, and I was not disappointed. Finally someone said: "We should obey so we won't get into trouble."
Bingo. That's the one I was looking for. Because it's the worst reason of all, and I wanted to see if anyone of the kids had considered it. After I gently pointed out that avoiding punishment is not a good reason to obey one's parents, I then asked why it's not a good reason.
There was some thought, and then the 9 year old said "If you only obey to stay out of trouble, then it's all about yourself and not the other person." 9 years old, and she possesses more wisdom I did at 29, or 39. How did this happen? Did I do or say something directly or indirectly to impart such thinking to her? Most likely not. Or did she come up with it on her own, or with guidance from the Spirit?
I have no idea, but I was startled and pleased to hear what she thought. Somehow she could see that when there is a child who needs to obey, there is a parent who needs to be obeyed. That it's a relationship of two people and both of them should be considered, and a disobedient child affects not only himself but his parent as well.
It took me a couple of days to wrap my head around that. How true it is with parents and children, but equally so with God and His children. We get this idea that we have to follow a bunch of rules lest we make God angry and incur some kind of punishment. But it's not all about us, is it? It's also about a holy God who loves us sacrificially and wants the best for us, even if we can't see it. His ways are so much higher and better than our ways, and if only we follow Him, while we might not have a perfect life, we will be in fellowship with Him. And that's the safest place we can be.
So I was the one learning that day. And I had to laugh at the way God (once again) used a child to humble me and teach me.
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