God says do not hinder the children.This means in any way.We as parents must accept trial will come for our children and see them as lessons that God needs them to learn.This way as they grow they mature in faith too.God has carefully planned every second of their life and every trial they need to face in order to learn and lead them to the calling He has for them.
I tried so hard to please people growing up because i thought this way they will see Jesus in me.I was never really taught how to deal with difficult people so my natural way was act like it didn't bother me and go home and cry to my mom.My mom did what I see most parents do now and try to solve the problem for me . This is handicapping our children from a lesson they eventually must learn.So every time a mean child crossed my path I did the same thing acted like it didn't bother me and forgave them . The truth was it did bother me and they didn't see Jesus in me they saw that their behavior toward me was OK .What they saw in me was weak.I showed grace but grace alone is not how we should teach our children to deal with difficult people.If all we show is grace we either become a doormat or over time grow cold and show less and less grace until we are bitter.
As a young adult this is exactly what happened.I realized I wasn't in high school anymore and I was going to use my voice.I got a taste of speaking the truth to others that were mean .I realized I could let them know I didn't like how they were treating me, and the relief of getting it out and off my chest was addictive.I would say things like,"well, you asked me what I think." or "well,its the truth isn't it."I enjoyed seeing thing how they were and speaking the truth.As you know practice makes perfect. It did, I became very good at calling it like I see it .It grew into hiding meanness in the truth.The thing is when you say the truth without grace, only meanness is heard not the truth.The truth is ,there is a time and place for both and both must be used together.When I showed grace I was trying to please man for God instead of Pleasing God for man.When I spoke truth,I was convicting others.Just because I saw the truth didn't mean they were ready to hear it and they wont hear it without grace.
Jesus was not a doormat nor mean, he used the perfect blend of truth and grace to equal healing.When he dealt with difficult people he never used one more than the other.He was obedient to God by speaking the truth with grace.Did you ever hear the saying ,"Its not what you said it is how you said it"
Daniel was a shepherd for sheep as a boy , you don't become a shepherd of men for God by picking up the sheep when they stray off and putting them back where you want them.You must lead the sheep in the right direction letting them get there themselves.
We have to learn and teach our children, sheep get lost ,when they are lost they are scared,out of fear they do wrong things ,but we can lead them to finding the truth on there own by motivating them . When people are mean to us we naturally are discouraged if we are mean in return we discourage .If we ignore the lost sheep they stay lost.
I was at a pep assembly the other day my I was sharing with a cheer mom that my daughter still fighting a cold after a week of antibiotics. Ill refer to this mom as a lost sheep.Anyway a lost sheep interrupted and crudely said "you should keep her home instead of infecting everyone else"I know this lost sheep is a negative person and very lost. I could have said" mind your own business",or I could have said what I was thinking "Its called a common cold for a reason, its common and there is no cure, and its a public school not a bubble so why get mad about something that will happen allot?"But I knew the cold was not all that was bugging her and the cold was not what led her to be rued.I said well thank you for your input and since have ignored her.So I wouldn't say i led the sheep to the truth ,by ignoring her I am actually discouraging her and leaving her lost.We are not called to be quiet to be people pleasers . WE are called to see the truth and show truth with grace.So I'm still praying about this lost sheep and the opportunity and word to say .
Because of Jesus perfect example of holding on to truth and grace for dear life literally, we see that we are making it harder than we need to . We do not have to be a doormat for people to see Jesus in us, We do not have to demand people see the truth, when we are motivating others that is showing grace leading them to find the truth is walking in truth.I don't know the perfect thing to say to all negative difficult people at the very moment needed but, I don't have to because God says put Him first so all i have to do is pray then God says if need to question someone,do it in private .So I just have to wait for God to present the timing then His truth words will flow out
This is how we should teach our children to deal with difficult people because if not we are hindering there spiritual growth.WE all want more for our children the we had we all want an easier life for them .We all want them to make the most of their life so teach them obedience.
My husband Kelly often asks me why does it bother you so much when people are rued,or mean to you? You know it doesn't really have anything to do with you right?Well,the answer is because I see them as lost sheep, and no good shepherd wants to his sheep.
Usually God allows us to get to know the person before they turn on us . This is so we can see the truth why they really are lost.If you ask a shepherd about his sheep , he will tell you them all by name , and all their different traits, and how he has to lead each one. God allows difficult people to pass through our life each one is a lost sheep and He trusted them with you.I'm starting to see them more as children that have never been taught how to deal with difficult people and at some point was sucked in.I think we should treat them with kid gloves. Isn't that what a shepherd does,a teacher does, a leader does, isn't that what Jesus taught us?We don't have to have all the right answers at just the right time we should remember we are sons and daughters of God we can take time and talk to our father first and ask what to do.We don't have all the answers but our father does.That brings me back to the beginning isn't that what as a child we are taught to do ?Run and tell an adult or parent.Run to the throne not the phone be a tattle tail God loves a tattle tail.
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