Thursday 14 December 2017

Hard Foreheads and Stubborn Hearts

We all know our kids aren't perfect, but whoa....was I ever reminded a couple of days ago.  It seems even though we don't have a video game set or anything like that, our kids will seek out a way to play these annoying games.  We've made it pretty clear we'd rather them spend their time doing something that will be more productive.   Only the two older children have phones at this point and we have a couple of lap tops.   But these laptops all have games on them that just come with the computers.  How handy!  Also, it is very easy to download games onto phones.  Even my 7 year old knows how to do this.  And, quite regularly, my phone or my daughter's phone will mysteriously disappear.  We'll call all the kids who are regular law breakers and sure enough, they have it and were using it for games.

This week was a busy week of having different people over for different events so I was often cleaning, baking or actually visiting.  Sometimes if the kids are out of sight and it's quiet, I won't run around looking for them.  It can be a nice break to have the silence!  Big mistake.  I should have checked in.  Silence may be golden, but around here, it's a clue that something is up.

My 7 year old had been gone too long.  It was too quiet.  I should have known.  But I was enjoying my visit so much with these ladies that were over!  After they left and he was still missing, I finally realized I wasn't being the best parent and called him down.  Surprisingly, he came right away.  Another clue!  I knew there wasn't a computer upstairs and I had my phone, so what was he doing? This is where it almost gets funny, if it weren't so awful.....

Me:  Where were you?

Him:  Upstairs.

Me:  What were you doing?

Him:  Nothing

Me:  Nothing?

Him:  Well, I was actually reading my Bible.   (another clue:  he's not that strong a reader and he doesn't own his own Bible yet)

Me:  (super suspicious now...my other son and I looked at each other, raised our eyebrows at the same time and shook our heads "no" to one another...)  Really?  You were reading your Bible? 

Him:  Yes.  I was just wanting to read more about self-control.

Me:  (I nearly choked at this point).  Self- control?!  Oh!  How interesting!

I was trying so hard not to laugh.  He was handing me line after line that was just so out of character for him.  He was trying to talk like he was Charles Wesley or something.  I quickly texted my husband and told him what my son said.  He said, "Give him the benefit of the doubt."  So I did.  Until I put him to bed....

Me:  So, where is the Bible that you were reading?

Him:  Oh, well, it's here somewhere (as he anxiously looked around his room).  I can't seem to find it.

Me;  (now I knew something was up).  What were you reading then? 

Him:  Oh, this book here (and he randomly pulls a science book off the shelf...NOT a Bible)

Me:  (got 'em!)  Ok, now we know you were lying....

So, he's a liar!  I was so upset!  When I questioned him some more we found out he had found an old phone of my daughters, downloaded a game and was playing happily upstairs the whole time.  I was unaware what my sneaky kid was up to!  When I asked him why he said all those lovely things about reading the Bible (who wouldn't want to hear that?!), he said he knew it would make me happy and that way he wouldn't get in trouble.

We are still trying to figure out the best consequence for this liar liar.  My husband hasn't been home to discuss it much, but we aren't going to let this one slide.  If you can lie, you can do anything.

It was a great opportunity to talk about Jesus though because as my son cried and cried about being caught (he was remorseful at least!), I told him he has to try to be a good boy.  He said, through his tears, "But I can't!  It's so hard!"   I quickly interjected, "Yes!  That's just it!  It is TOO hard!  We can't do it on our own!  That is exactly why Jesus came!"  He prayed, I prayed.  And then I quickly got rid of the phone!

The next day we read about Ezekiel and the stubbornness of Israel.  "But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me:  because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart." (3:7)

My husband and I are my children's prophets.  We are in authority over our children and it is our job to point them to Christ and help them see their need for Him.  Like the verse says, if they won't listen to us, they won't listen to God.  We have to constantly pray about their hard foreheads and their stubborn hearts!  What a responsibility!

For the next couple of days, I would see my son and he would look at me and say, "Sorry."  I knew what he was sorry for.  I think he was truly repentant.  But, boy oh boy, was it ever a good reminder to keep an eye on him and to not let visiting friends get in the way of watching for my kids. 

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