A couple of evenings ago, just about bedtime, Elizabeth did something she's been warned about several times over the past few months. She has known since the last incident that punishment, not a warning, would be forthcoming for a repeat offense.
As soon as she committed the offense, she knew what she had done and stopped immediately. Her eyes met mine with a look that said, "Daddy, please, please, please do not realize what I just did!"
I knew. . . . She knew that I knew.
All the way up the stairs to Elizabeth's bedroom, I was thinking of dozens of reasons to just ignore her offense and pretend it didn't happen. Did I really want to deal with this right at bed time?! I was tired and ready to relax. Then, the Spirit brought to mind two passages of Scripture.
First, I thought of Romans 1:28-9, where it says, in part, "God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness . . . ."
God does not give sinners over to unrighteousness after just one, two, or even several sins. He gives over those who declare that what is obviously sin is "good." God is so patient with sinners that some mistake His patience for a lack of concern for righteousness.
But, God's patience is for our repentance. Peter puts it this way, "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Pet 3:9).
The next text that came to mind, almost simultaneously was Proverbs 3:12 where we read, "For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights."
In that moment, as we walked up the stairs and Elizabeth stared intently into my eyes, I had a choice. I could reinforce Elizabeth's understanding that what she had done was wrong by following through with the punishment that had been promised, or I could risk giving her over - allowing her to think her daddy really does not mind whether she obeys or not.
Like a good father, God corrects his children. God's discipline is actually an expression of His patient love for us. He could simply destroy us, but He patiently corrects and leads to repentance.
So, here's the point: loving your kids does not mean sweeping their sins under the rug - even when you are exhausted. What a challenge!
