A thought
by Larry Osborne, (2009-04-04) from his book, Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe (p. 52). The Crown
Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)
It
really is. My dad said that advice not
asked for stinks. And that is true. It is so easy to give advice especially if
you don’t have any experience, have you noticed that? But Proverbs also says that there is safety
in many counselors. And that is good
advice.
In
following up on this thought Larry says, “But for those of us in the midst of
the battle, it's not so simple. Things that sound easy in a seminar or Bible
study are usually a lot more nuanced in real life… I'm reminded of the simple
advice to keep my cool and never discipline my children in anger. Sounds good.
Makes sense. But I, for one, could never figure out how to pull it off. What
was I supposed to do? Wait until we were all having a good time— then bam!?”
He
then goes on, “Rather than preening in pride, casting harsh judgments, or
wallowing in self-pity and unwarranted guilt, we simply need to cast aside the
myth that produces these unsavory responses and live in light of the truth. As
parents, we do have a sacred responsibility for how we raise our kids. But we
have no ultimate control over how they turn out. Admittedly, there are plenty
of Christian parents who have good reason to feel guilty. Hypocrisy, angry
outbursts, inattention (or its mirror opposite, hyper control), poor marriages,
and broken homes are all too common. The price for each is always high. But
when godly parents do the best they can and yet fail to achieve the outcome
they hope for, they need a break, not a drive-by ‘guilting.’ And when things go
well, we need a lot more gratitude and a lot less pride. So, if you're a
parent, give it your best shot— then go take a nap. And if you've already given
it your best shot— take a long nap. You deserve it.”
Now
that is very good advice. At least I
think so.
What
about you?
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