Kids are bound to make mistakes…how do we react in love? How can our kids know we are FOR them even through their growing pains? Ben reminds us how our heavenly Father reacts when we make mistakes.

Scripture

“God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us”

Rom 5:8

Reflect

While through our sin and imperfection we were not deserving of a relationship with God, He made it possible and gave us the great privilege of being able to speak and relate to Him as a good and loving Father.  As children, we could not meet our heavenly Father’s standard for righteous living, yet He shows us His immense love in so many ways. 

He chooses to walk with us and eternally give of Himself, to forgive, teach, provide, demonstrate patience, grace, mercy and sacrifice, and give the discipline we need to grow in wisdom and righteousness. 

Thinking on these things, let’s consider some practical ways we can show our own children we love them when they mess up and miss that standard as well.

1. Distinguish the person from the action – Remind your kid who they are and Whose they are!

• It is their action you don’t love and are upset about. 
• They are your son or daughter and you will continue to love them and be there for them.  Let them know!
• More so, if they know Christ as their Savior, their identity can rest in Him alone.  Paul writes beautifully about having our identity in Christ in Romans 6.  “When you were slaves in sin you were free from the control of righteousness.  What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of?  Those things result in death!  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life” (Rom 6:20-22).  This is good news we can always offer to our children.

1. Discipline is Love – “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph 6:4). 

• God shows His love for us in His discipline of us for our good that we might share in His holiness.  Hebrews 12 gives a great picture of the purpose behind discipline and what it means. 
• Ask God to help you find the right balance of firmness and tenderness as you seek to train your kids through discipline.  It can be hard and inconvenient at times, but keep it up! It is a great way to show your love and concern for them. 

Proverbs says, “folly is bound up in the heart of a child.” We can expect our children to mess up, but what can they expect of our response?  The best thing we can do is point them to the love of Jesus.  Every mess up is but another opportunity to speak about the glorious story of our Father in heaven and the good He works in our lives.  

Camper Corner

How do you view discipline? Read through Hebrews 12:1-13 and talk about it with your parents.