How many of us ever dreamed that our children would turn to us to raise our grand children?
Each of us set out seeking to raise our children, determined to right the wrongs we perceived were done TO us as children. We headed into the challenges of life with the full anticipation that we would do so much better than our parents before us. For some of us, we succeeded in a few things, and not so much in others. Some look onto the trouble of others and assume themselves to be "more right with God" in the absence of hardships and trials.
However, true of all of us, we did our very best with each individual moment measured out to us. Would we change things? Perhaps? Perhaps not? To everyone I say, all things happen in this life according to God's own eternal purpose. None of us can determine the future, nor could any of us predict the decisions our own children would make once they left our "oversight."
We cannot be our children's conscience, nor can we walk their walk. Just because we might be sealed by Christ, it does not mean that the child to whom we have given our lives is also. "Against Thee and Thee only have I sinned Oh Lord.." wrote the psalmist. If we be IN CHRIST and our child rejects who and what we are and believe, they are against the One whom we serve. It is between them and God. Not us and them and God. If we could force them to believe, would we? Could we? Has that power been granted to us? Certainly not. It is between them and God. If they turn away, they turn away from Him. Let them go. It is His job to do as He pleases in their soul. Be that as it may, we are called to pray for that wayward one. We can petition that same God who forgave us and all that we are. Pray for that child.
Each soul has an individual path to walk in the sight of God Almighty. As us parents attempted to steer our wayward children aright, we did so FOR their well-being. We did the best we could to reason with our child and offer them the few meager tools we possessed in our characters.
The harder we tried to bring them into a better way of life, the harder they pulled in pursuit of their own destruction. We poured ourselves out to the point of utter, emotional exhaustion as we pleaded with our child to turn away from their demise.
I leave this writing with this truth:
There was a doctor who, on a certain day, delivered two babies from two separate mothers. One was a girl, born with down-syndrome, the other? A perfect baby boy with blue eyes, perfect in every way.
The doctor decided to track the lives of these children to determine what type of adult would result and how different might their lives be. The baby girl was born to two biologically perfect parents, nonetheless, they were disgruntled and unhappy with their child. The other baby was perfect, and had two beautiful parents who professed to be Christians.
The down-syndrome child grew up to be a very loving young lady and she outlived her own parents caring for them until their deaths.
The perfect baby boy was...Adolf Hitler.
Mull that over for a while. Proverbs 20:11 says..."Even a child is known by his/her doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right."
Parents are not to blame for the decisions the child makes. Many of us have been abused and some beyond others. Nonetheless, ALL of us make decisions. One child grows up and chooses to follow the same abusive path as their parent. Another child is so badly abused, compassion is cultivated in the deepest parts of their hearts and they are moved to kindness and gentleness seeking to relieve the suffering of others. Some children have never tasted abuse at any level, and yet, they grow up entitled, angry with a thirst for more and they take for granted those around them having only tasted fortification and plenty. Some have never tasted hardship at any level, and embracing their own "goodness" they are given to judge those who suffer.
Whatever be the case, as we turn to look back and survey the fields of our lives, look to Christ and trust that He has said, He will restore the years which the moth has eaten. In His sight, we have lived, loved and poured our lives forth. Never fail to pray for those you love, plead their case before HIM, all the while considering your own sinFULLness. Do not judge that wayward child, get out of the way, let go, let God and remember, HIS decisions are right.
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