Parental Temptation

Parents want to help their children avoid lack, hunger and pain. But, many times the young lions reject help and counsel. In times past, many parents themselves were young lions who made similar choices, suffered lack and hopefully learned to seek the Father who became their Lord and who is the Lover of their soul.

The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. (Psalm 34:10)

As parents, we want good things for our children and we especially want them to be pain free. A parenting course called "Love or Logic" described three types of parents. Many parents are "helicopter parents", who constantly rescue their children from consequences. Other parents are "drill-sergeant parents" who attempt to control the decisions and lives of their children to help them avoid mistakes. These parental attitudes are manifest very early in the life of each child. Personally, I tend to vacillate between these types. But, we are called to be "consultant parents" who are available as life consultants. At some level, all children, even babies, can begin to learn to live with the pain or reward of their own choices and can experience the option of seeking wise counsel.

God allows the consequences of wrong choices, sin, and evil to wash over this world. Out of all this, the best thing that can happen to us is one choice -- that we choose to seek and love Him. This love is available through Jesus but it is not genuine if it is forced on us. Until we choose to seek and to love God in every part of our life, we will suffer lack. Love is eagerly waiting and will come running as soon as we choose to turn toward Him. The parental temptation is to rescue or control, but finding wisdom and love of God is infinitely more important than avoiding pain.