Parenting Package: Stamped Fragile
Parenting Package: Stamped Fragile
Have you ever mailed a package that you carefully wrapped up and had the post office stamp ‘Fragile’ on the box; only to find out when it arrived at its destination that its contents were crushed?
I opened my Christmas ornaments this year to find one of my favorite ornaments broken in several pieces. It was an ornament I gave Charles about 20 something years ago that was from the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”. I had wrapped this ornament so carefully, yet it was broken into pieces.
To quote John Piper, “There is no such thing as security or safety in this life.”
As parents, we spend a lifetime stamping fragile on our kids and wrapping them tightly. We are called to protect and gently guide our children in the right direction. As parents, we must not hold to tightly to anything but hold tightly to Christ.
I am learning, and yes, I have not arrived, that none of us will ever be perfect this side of heaven. As my adult children follow Christ, I am learning I cannot stamp fragile on them. I can’t wrap them so tightly as to protect them.
Parenting is by grace. We are not handed any instruction guide tied to our child when they are born. But as believers, we are given the greatest instructions to follow in the word of God.
“Stand fast; therefore, in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” [KJV Gal. 5:1]
As parents, we must not get tangled up with our own ideas or man’s ways of perfection. We must work hard to understand the Gospel and the Word of God. We must teach our children to understand the Gospel and the Word of God in their lives.
Sunday, my Pastor, Dave Teruel said this, “The Scriptures give us understanding of our own hearts and minds, and we must have a spiritual transformation.”
Be careful that you do not slip into bondage in your personal performance or your child’s performance. Beware of rules and law creeping in instead of the Gospel of Christ. Your children need to understand the Gospel.
The rules are necessary, and laws are given to us for our safety and protection. But the grace of God – the Gospel – must be the center of everything we do and believe. The Lord will give us our direction that is proven in His word. We should always acknowledge the authority of God in His word. Let it be our guide.
I must daily give my expectations of my children to the Lord. “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him [Ps. 62:5].” Your children are a package that belongs to Christ. We can wrap them and prepare to send the package out – stamped fragile. But we must trust grace and leave the results to the Lord.
“It’s a wonderful life.”
