I was cleaning out a desk drawer last night and found this printed out on a piece of paper. I have no idea where it came from so if anyone recognizes it, please let me know. I'm sure it spoke to me when I printed it and it still speaks now...as a reminder of my behavior toward my family. I hope it can be a help to someone else!
The apostle Paul knew that kids will be kids, and as children we behave childishly. But he also pointed out that, as we grow up, we must set aside childish behavior and become more mature.
Children are by nature petty, hurtful, and faultfinding in their relationships. They speak rashly, rudely, and selfishly, with little concern for how their words affect their parents and others.
Children think life revolves around them. They're self righteous. They think they're always right and that others are at fault, even when the evidence declares them guilty. I'll never forget the time one of our daughters came to the table with chocolate on her face - clear evidence that she'd been into the cookie jar. Evidence or not, she insisted she was not guilty. Parents often face such tests in teaching their kids to tell the truth - to grow up in their abilities to be straightforward and honest.
We tell our kids, "It's time to grow up!"
And of course some of the unhappiest husband-wife relationships are those in which one or both haven't really grown up. They are still petty, hurtful, and faultfinding. They still speak rashly and rudely, with little regard for how their words may hurt each other. They still think life revolves around them, and have trouble taking responsibility for their actions and choices, and admitting it when they are wrong. They blame, ridicule, and find ways to get back at their spouses.
They speak, think, and reason like children.
It dawned on me one day, in the middle of an argument with my wife, that it was time I grew up. That I stopped acting like the kids. And you know what? I realized if I was going to be a man, I couldn't act like a child. And, so, just like Paul said, I put away childish things .
Prayer:
"Lord God, help me put away childish words, attitudes, and actions. May your Holy Spirit empower me this day. Amen."
Discuss: Think of any tense times you've had with your mate recently. Can you detect in your own attitude any of the above childishness? What steps can you take to help your own children mature?
