Posted on 01/05/2007 9:36:30 AM PST by Gamecock
It’s one of life’s ironies - I guess one of the great parenting dilemmas.
Do we want our children to be comfortable or to have character? The short answer may be both, but I’m not sure how that shakes out. If we must choose one, it would have to be character and that comes from facing challenges. So much for comfort.
Author Rick Warren says God is more interested in our character than our comfort. That may be a shock to us because we often view God as one who spends his time removing obstacles from our paths and making our lives ever easier and more pleasant.
But Warren is right, God is more interested in us becoming mature than comfortable. He allows trials in our lives for the very reason that he wants us to grow from them. James says we should rejoice in this because it exercises our faith and makes us better and stronger.
Since God is the ultimate parent, it is a lesson for us, then. What is our purpose as parents – to instill character in our children, or to spend our time, money and effort quenching their every thirst, satisfying their every need and making their lives as stress free as humanly possible?
Don’t get me wrong, I believe we should make our children’s lives as pleasant as we can, to a point. We have a dachshund who thinks he’s a person. I feel it is my job to make his life as comfortable as possible. He has no character and he’s not supposed to, but it lowers my blood pressure to see him warm and fed. He gives me feelings of comfort when he sleeps in my lap and that’s why he was created.
But my children were not created for my pleasure. They were created for God’s pleasure and he needs them to have character, to grow in maturity and to possess self-discipline. I simply have the privilege of being one of their guardians for a season. So we let the dog sleep in, but we see to it that they get up, dressed and to school on time.
This is a bit counter to the culture, but what wisdom isn’t? I saw a commercial the other day that advertised a new device that will take the wrapping off of your new CDs and DVDs. For only $20, you no longer have to find a knife or car key to rip off the cellophane. I’m not even saying it’s a bad idea, I’m just saying our culture continually tells us to take life easy, be a person of leisure – to be lazy.
What is character, anyway? Warren says it is the sum of our habits. It is how we act and react to the world around us. If we get everything we want or always get our way, we may become spoiled. We may be shocked when our teachers and bosses aren’t as interested in our leisure as our parents were.
If we are allowed to watch or listen to everything our little heart desires, we may mirror that behavior. If we are never taught manners, it will affect our future relationships. If we are not taught respect, it can get us into a lot of trouble and heartache later. If we are not taught fiscal responsibility when we are young, it can really bite us when we get out on our own.
You get the idea. So, what is your goal as a parent – to make your children comfortable or to instill character in them? The world is waiting and watching. And hoping.
Certainly God is MORE interested in our character than our comforts.
Nevertheless, he knows when a sparrow falls; the number of hairs on our heads and is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. . .
And sent THE COMFORTER to live within us; lead us; guide us and encourage us.
And . . .
DISCIPLINE WITHOUT SUFFICIENT RELATIONSHIP TENDS TO BREED, TRIGGER REBELLION.
A lot of junky relationships with God are a result of parents neglecting that fact.
I have never found the mountain top experiences . . . nor the comfortings . . . to prevent the valleys, refiner's fires, long dark nights of the soul.
God is well able to peel back the next layer of our inner and outer onions, so to speak.
Surgery is virtually never fun nor soft fur and Laz-Y-Boys & popcorn.
And this IS boot camp and about us becoming conformed to the image of His son that we might bear a greater weight of glory in ruling and reigning eternally with HIM.
Nevertheless, THE COMFORTER CAN BE exceedingly comforting in all the ways we think of such a term--and more.
HE SAID
HE
DELIGHTS
TO GIVE US THE DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS . . . as long as they aid in our walk with God; as long as our desires are in tune with His highest for us.
I think we're making different points. But, that's fine, there's room for many points!
I can see that.
Thanks.
Agreed.
Exactly
I've experienced the love and friendship of non believers myself and sometimes they were far more understanding than believers. Believers at times can be very narrow. My former pastor's wife had a saying that always made me laugh, about legalists/fundamentals who were so narrow minded they could see through a keyhole with both eyes. It's time we stopped bashing our own. Mxxx
Much agree.
about legalists/fundamentals who were so narrow minded they could see through a keyhole with both eyes.
= = =
Love that one. A new one.
Amen ping!
Is there something untrue or at odds with God or His Word therein?
Indeed God's Word is profitable and suitable!
We who know Christ read many things that are not Scripture, and can be profited in such readings.
Why do you come down so hard on Maccabees, when here at FR, which you read copiously, there are many errors written?
I would simply remind Protestants of their heritage.
Everything that is ours by faith in Christ Jesus came to us through the Jews.
Everything, including Christ Himself, Who kept the Feast of Dedication.
Since Christ Himself kept this Feast, I want to know all about it.
Maccabees is the source for this knowledge.
What profit is there in speaking against this part of our heritage?
The Hebrews, the Jewish Christians, and the Protestants never accepted the Maccabees as inspired teaching. They can be read for gleanings and insight but that's it. Why the Maccabees were never considered inspired, I don't know except to say they weren't by the Hebrews who wrote them.
A very good case in point is what happened in our Bible class yesterday. We are studying the book of Nehemiah and for further historical information, our teacher referred to the works of Josephus. While Josephus provided some possible clarification based upon Jewish tradition and understanding, in some places he is out of step as to what was recorded in scripture. Our teacher correctly reminded us that in the case of these disagreements, the Bible only is considered trustworthy. The rest is historical information that may help us to understand what the scriptures are telling us.
Are there disagreements you would like to cite from Maccabees?
The rest is historical information that may help us to understand what the scriptures are telling us.
Have I not been saying this from the beginning?
Further (prayerfully because I want to walk in love) it has occurred to me to mention that many works, beyond being historical, are actually devotional in nature: the Daily Reflections with Oswald Chambers thread, from his book My Utmost for His Highest comes immediately to mind. Mr. Chambers was in no way a writer of Scripture, yet his writings we read daily there, and they help bring us into closer contact with our Great God.
Hymns, Gospel and Worship music, and even preachers come also to mind in this same category. These writings set to music, and such sermons as men compose are not Scripture, though they make mention of and reference to (often quoting directly from) the Sacred Writings, even as Maccabees does, yet these ways and words also are designed for and looked to as means to inspire us into knowledge and praise, and to lead us into deeper intimacy with our God and His Christ, via the connection of His Holy Spirit within.
Why then single out Maccabees, especially considering that from my first post on this thread I intentionally made mention of its not being included in or considered part of the canon? Why not also post a warning on every Chambers thread? - "This is not Scripture!" Why not stand nobly forth in the midst of your pastor's sermon and shout the same?
To be perfectly honest I have read some very misguided devotionals and turn right around and have someone tell me how meaningful it was to them. Same with worship music. I have always thought that different people must be able to see God in different things. I now understand how wrong-headed this thinking was of mine. That is what sola scriptura is all about.
Dr Laura beat him to this by about ten years...
Well, I guess that's all I could criticize about this particular statement. He does say things right once in a while. As long as we're not talking theology.
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