Am I the only parent guilty of rushing their kid when their
patience is short?
If you are a parent, you fully understand that just because
you clocked out of your day job that does not free you from working the rest of
the day. After the day job comes the afternoon and night job called parenting.
After an exorbitantly long day, I picked my son up from
school and we headed home. I was so tired, I didn’t even want to hear the radio. He decides to fully belt the theme song to his favorite television
show and every children’s nursery rhyme the entire way home.
The rule is, as soon as we get home, we do homework. This
night was easy. All we had was tracing and rewriting the number 12. After about
eleven – twelves’ my mind prepared to file homework chapter 13. I placed my hand over his hand and helped him
swiftly complete the remaining five numbers on his paper.
As soon as we finished, he started crying. WHAT THE STUFF?!?!
Mommy to the rescue picks him up and asks, “What’s wrong?” His response, “Daddy
did it!” while pointing to his homework. She sits with him at the table and he
points out the last five number twelves'. I’m thinking, “Hey dude,
I did your homework, anyone else would be happy.” He was upset because it was
his homework and he wanted to do it himself. It wasn’t that his work was insufficient;
it was just taking too long for dad. So,
dad stepped in to the rescue – or so I thought.
1 Samuel 17:38-40 (NLT)
Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a
coat of mail. 39 David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step
or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before.
“I can’t go in these,” he protested to Saul. “I’m not used
to them.” So David took them off again. 40 He picked up five smooth stones from
a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his
shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the
Philistine.
When King David was only known as David the shepherd boy, he
was given an opportunity to prove himself in battle against a formidable foe. Before battle the then king Saul suggested that David wear his tried and
personally authenticated armor. Saul knew the strength of his armor as well as
the honor of wearing the king's armor. All that little David was considering was
the need to beat Goliath with what he already had.
As parents, leaders, and mentors we must be careful when guiding those who are following. There is a difference between
helping and handling it for them. Yes, there is something to be said for proper
instruction. However, any good teacher will tell you that the student alone must
take the test. If you constantly do it for them – how will they know how to do
it themselves?
Our Father, the ultimate teacher, God even does the same
with us.
Deuteronomy 30:19 (NLT)
"Today I have given you the choice between life and
death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness
the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your
descendants might live!”
He shows us how to live but allows us to make choices –
while He is watching over us anticipating that we will make the right decision.
Guide those who follow you. Give them instruction and show
them the correct way to do things. Don’t be in such a hurry to see results that
you do not allow them to grow into their potential. You are supposed to see their
potential - that’s why you are the parent, leader, mentor, or guide. Show them
and let them find it.
Proverbs 22:6
Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are
older, they will not leave it.
God gave your children a purpose before they were pulled from the
womb. I challenge you to watch for what God is doing in their lives then
cultivate, nurture, and celebrate them as they grow.
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