Whose Child Is That? (II)

Parents always believe their children are the best, cutest, and most favored. This is human nature. However, humankind’s nature is sinful because we are all born fallen. When sin-natured parents look at their children they tend to see their children, not “with sober judgment,” but “more highly than (they) ought” (Romans 12:3).

Do others see our children the way we do? Are our children's studies and lifestyles at school or church really always a great job? Is it really excellent? In fact, today's parents and teachers have abused words of praise, misleading children to think that they are better than they are; this has also given parents the wrong idea that their children really do not need to be corrected or disciplined at all.

Proverbs 27:5 says, "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." The author of Proverbs wanted people to know that when they sin they need to be confronted promptly. Those who speak the truth with love in church or school are God’s blessing to parents. Such teachers are willing to spend time and energy to teach children, correct them, and hold them accountable. They bravely bear the risk of conflict with parents and are, therefore, more honorable before the Lord than teachers who only praise children.

Why are some parents unwilling to accept criticism of their children? Because the parents are unwilling to admit that they have not fulfilled their duty of discipline, leaving that responsibility to be borne by the teacher. So, when a teacher criticizes a child, he or she is actually criticizing the parent. When parents are caught in their neglect, they are like Adam and Eve who used fig leaves to cover their bodies. Whether it is a parent or a child, we all need to be disciplined by God!

Give thanks to those who are willing to discipline us and to those who are willing to discipline our children! Ask God to double their blessings because they do not treat our children as outsiders but correct and reprove our children as their own children, so that our children will please God and live a life blessed by God. We should all be thankful to have such a teacher in our child's life!

～Min. Rebecca Zhang 張翱翔傳道～