Published 11/21/19
By Greg Johnson
What If...
One of us kids is a handful. Since you’re such a great parent, the kid isn’t bad or anything, just... preoccupied. His mind is always on a different planet.
Whenever it’s time to clean his room, he goes in and finds other things to do instead. It doesn’t matter what—pencil games, reading a book, building forts or just looking around at his posters. It usually takes three or four rounds of threats and reminders to get him at least to get his stuff off of the floor.
At Christmas and on birthdays it takes you even more reminders to get him to write thank-you notes. And when it comes to helping out around the house and doing his chores... he’s nearly impossible.
Again, this child isn’t a bad kid; he just has his mind on other things besides what he is supposed to do. At times he is a little lazy, but... he is also very affectionate. He loads you up with hugs and kisses and “I love you’s.”
Even with all of the joy he brings to the household, your patience is wearing thin. You have tried many, many things to get him to clue into the responsibilities he needs to take more seriously. You have withheld his allowance, cut back on TV time, not let him invite his friends over on weekends. But even these tactics don’t work all that well—at least for very long.
Questions to Think On
• How patient would you be with a child like this?
• How are we kids different, and how do you treat us differently because of it?
• What does God teach you through us (especially in this area of patience)?
• Is there anything we need to do to try to make it a bit easier for you as a parent?
What Does God Have to Say?
And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience. Colossians 1:10-11
You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. James 5:8
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