I am very much a people watcher. I observe, listen, and pick up on things. Through at least 23 hours on the road the past few weeks, and contact with countless people through pre-service and work alone, I've had my share of socializing. And in the past two weeks, I've sat through around 41 hours of training and lectures on working with kids and families. I had already started this post, so having all that on the mind, it pushed me to get this written, despite being quite different, though the same topic, as what I've been listening to. The family is one of the institutions set up by God, it is important to Him, as it should be to us. The Bible has much to say about it. Just as the parents have a great responsibility, so do the children. Proverbs 20.11, "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right." Colossians 3.20,"Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord." Exodus 20.12, "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." Ephesians 6.1, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right." Romans 13.1, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Hebrews 13.17,"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must five account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." -------------------------------- As teens, this is OUR responsibility. Obedience. Respect. Honor. Submssion. Make sure you have those things in order. You can't expect things from your parents if you aren't giving them what they deserve. Now, there are things every child/teen need from their parents, but won't say, realize, or even understand. The majority of my readers aren't parents yet, but most will be someday. For you, I hope you take it in, and benefit in helping to know your child's heart someday. A relationship. As a child/teen, my deepest need is a relationship with you. I need time with you. I need your attention, and not only because I'm being corrected. I need you to hold me. I'm not against you.Be my parent first, but also be my friend. I want you. I need you to love me. I need you to tell me you love me. I need you to SHOW that you love me. If you don't prove it, words mean nothing. "My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways." - Proverbs 23.26 Affirmation. My longing is to make you proud. If you are, tell me. I want to make you proud. Tell me when I am doing something right! I want to know you like me. What you tell me, I will believe. I need your encouragement. I know when I fail, but I need you to be there for me when I do. "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:" -Hebrews 10.24 Attention. I need you to listen to me. I need to have communication, not just listen to you. talk to me in a way you would anyone else. I need you to be interested in the "little things" of my life. I don't leave you clueless, I need you to recognize them. I want your attention, and I will attempt to gain it in one way or another. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:" -James 1.19 Authority. I need authority in my life. I need you to lead me. teach me. Discipline me. I need rules born out of love and enforced in sincerity. I need you to teach me responsibility. I need you to help me. I don't know what to do. I need you to lead me by example. With honesty, sincerity, and realty. I need you to do and say the same things. Not only do I need authority, but united authority. Nothing is more confusing than conflicting authorities. "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22.6 Assurance. I need you to, along teaching me, as I grow, to trust me. A sheer lack of trust is penalizing. I need room to grow and learn while still under your protection. I need to know you recognize who I am. I am not a label or a statistic. I am not a repeat of those before me, I am me. And I can be different. I want some trust. I need assurance in security, safety and stability. I don't want to live in fear. I need to know I am safe and taken care of. I need to be able to find security in our family. I need family stability. I need to know that nothing I do will change your love for me, or my position in the family. I need to have security in knowing my place in the home won't be threatened to be taken from me. I need to feel safe in that no outer, or inner force can threaten us. I need assurance in provision. Physically, Emotionally, and Spiritually. I have many needs. I can find most from you. As well, I need EVERYTHING from Him. I look to you to lead me to Him. Your relationship with Him will be one of my first examples of who He is. I need to be provided for in all those areas. "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." - 1 Timothy 5:8 We will fail. Many times. But maybe we can at the very least, be aware of some of the needs of our future children. (Far, far away future for some of you...)
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Lizzy parkerMarriage.
Motherhood. Ministry. Missions. Archives
January 2023
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