We love them. We want them to be sucessful……and happy. It doesn’t matter if they are 6……or 60. And it breaks our hearts when they mess up……..when they do something that we know is self destructive. And they do it………over and over.
I used to tell my sons that I could predict the future…….that if they were late getting home on Friday night……..that they wouldn’t be going out on Saturday night. This was usually not well received.
The rules and restrictions that Cindy and I placed on our boys were set up primarily for their protection…….were set up primarily to lead them to success…….were set up to prevent them from doing something self destructive. The rules grew out of our love.
As our sons grew into manhood, they became more and more independent……..and our rules and restrictions gradually morphed into advice. But, the motivation behind them remained the same……..we still want them to be sucessful and happy…….and to avoid self destructive behaviour. The other thing that hasn’t changed……..is that much of this advice is ignored.
We see our adult children doing something. We look down the road and can see the inevitable bad outcome. We offer advice…..and often the advice is ignored…..or outright rejected. And this breaks our heart…….because, like it or not, we can still predict the future. Pretty obvious……..this is one of the inescapable realities of parenting.
Here’s the thing………God is my parent…….my creator. He gives me advice because he wants me to be successful and happy…….because he wants to spare me from a bad outcome. God’s advice…….God’s rules grow out of his love for us. And…….from time to time……….I ignore……..I reject his advice. And I break God’s heart……..because he too…..can see the future.
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!
Jesus, Luke 19:41, ESV
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
Jesus, Mathew 23:37, ESV