The Story of Us

Proverbs 27:11
“Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad. Then I will be able to answer my critics.”

Whether or not it seems fair; we as parents are judged according to the behavior of our children. We are judged by those who do not know our situations or circumstances, who do not know that we are doing our best, or that our spouse has left us alone to raise our children. We face critics daily at our children’s school, in the market place, and certainly at the church. But the truth still remains, we cannot make excuses, if our children prove to be wise all of those critics will have nothing to say anymore.

We all know that it is true because we all have been on the other side of this judging circle. Perhaps behavior isn’t a problem for your children and you are still there. But even if you are not, you have probably been there. Remember before you had children? (I know its hard!)… You would go to a restaurant or a grocery store and see that overwhelmed mother with the child that reminded you of the Tasmanian Devil! He was jumping on the cart where he should be sitting, she was crawling under the table at the Olive Garden, he was screaming with an unrelenting pitch that made you want to throw something… Ok maybe its just me. I will confess that I have been there, on the judging side. But rather than judge those parents who seem hopeless, I know that I need to be moved with compassion for them and for their children. Why?

“Out of control toddlers” grow to be “out of control teenagers”. I know that I need to have compassion on those seemingly hopeless “noise-makers” because they will soon be hopeless young people and then adults who have no direction in their lives. The Bible says that children with no discipline (or direction) will bring shame to their parents. But the Bible also says…

Proverbs 23:24-25
The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure it is to have wise children. So give your parents joy! May she who gave you birth be happy.


The truth is that our children are telling our story. Just as we are reading the story of others. I want to have a story that brings God glory! What story are your children’s lives telling of you? We will be parents who are full of gladness if our children grow to be wise!