Obedience
I have a little Derik 2.0 (Gabe) and little Derik 3.0 (Ben). I say they are like my husband because I don't ever remember not wanting to obey. My husband on the other hand is a force to be reckoned with! Fortunately, both Gabe and Ben are exceedingly funny and live life the the fullest, but they also keep me on my toes! Today, Ben who is 23 months, was hitting again. I warned him as I usually do to stop, or he'd have to go to bed. He said, "No, and hit me again." So, it was off to bed. I don't get too aggravated by his antics, but I sometimes wonder how long it will take for the child to obey! Yesterday after I heard Susie scream, I went to investigate and before Susie could tell me what happened, I heard Ben say, "Trouble trouble trouble" and run away. She didn't even have to tell me what happened. I knew he had whacked her. For what purpose, I do not know. However, I was confident that he knew better. Obedience is not Ben's forte.
I believe that our sinful human nature is magnified in children. As adults, we learn to either crucify our flesh or embrace sin - sometimes secretively. Children are typically very transparent and exceptionally good sinners. It is our job as parents to teach them differently. My mom did not tolerate disobedience in any form. In fact, I am pretty sure that if I was thinking the wrong thing, I would soon experience the swift hand of justice. I don't operate the same way as my mother did, but our goal is the same. If I ask my children to do something, I want them to obey completely and immediately. And I believe that God also expects the same.
When we get to Heaven I'm confident there will be no talking back or negotiating. We must obey God, but even better we will want to obey God. I know we'll have new bodies and our sinful nature will be dead, but I'd like to think that practicing our sanctified nature here on earth will not only please God but also better prepare us for eternity. My husband asked me on Sunday how I felt about a particular situation and followed it up with a question about what I felt like doing. I literally laughed in his face. Because, as I explained to him, how I felt had absolutely no bearing concerning what God was calling us to do. In fact, I frequently feel like doing the wrong thing! Maybe that part will disappear when we're with the Lord. I hope so, because it will make obeying a lot easier!
Can you imagine standing before the Lord in Heaven and being asked to go fetch a pail of water? Maybe it would seem ridiculous. After all, does the Lord really NEED water? Isn't He all sufficient? And then I thought about what my kids would say if God asked them:
Isaac (9years old) "In a minute." He's obedient in his own time.
Gabe (5 years old and whining) "Ugh! That's too much work!" He tends to be disobedient unless there is something in it for him.
Susie (almost 4 years old) "Its too heavy. I can't do it." She is a lovely child who finds an excuse for everything!
Ben (23 months old) "NO! Don't want to!" He's contrary. If you asked him to eat a cookie, which he loves, he'd probably tell you no just to be obstinate.
Annie (11 weeks) Smile. :) I'm hoping Annie would just smile. She's been doing that a lot lately.
So, except for Annie, I'm pretty sure my children aren't prepared for eternity. Their sinful human nature is frequently evident in this house. But with God's help, it will change.
How do I get my children to willingly obey? I'm not sure. I hope that the blend of incentive and discipline will work while they are young. But alone, those are not enough. It is crucial for children to understand that we all are tempted to do what is wrong - frequently by our own thoughts and feelings. But it is imperative to understand what we are thinking and yet choose to do what is right. It is important for them to understand that they need a savior from a young age and to grasp with the best of their ability what God has done for us.
Obedience is naturally born out of thankfulness. We see this on the news when a drowning swimmer is rescued by a passer by. What is the first thing the survivor says? Usually it is something along the lines of "Thank you," and "What can I do to repay you?" So it is with us and our children. If we live our lives with the daily reminder of all that God has done, obedience becomes a whole lot easier. We cannot focus solely on the here and now. This world is just the beginning. God gave us the gift of salvation so that we may live eternally with Him. When we focus on eternity and keep our eye on the prize, the cares of this world and the temptation to be disobedient weaken. Philippians 4:13 reads, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." After all our citizenship is in Heaven. Our life on earth is temporary, but our life with God is eternal.
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