Being a parent of adult men is hard…far harder than parenting through the terrible twos! I know that I’m positioned to model what their future wife might look like, while also carefully sharing parental caution when I see it
There are moments when I need to strategically decide when it’s worth the cost of spending relational equity to offer what I see. I usually begin with a question, asking if I can share something from my perspective.
This is the case with a recent convo with my son. Even though he welcomed my thoughts, he immediately began telling me the why behind things.
I listened & then asked if I could offer one more tidbit that might not feel awesome to hear. He agreed with a sheepish smile & I replied,
“I want you to become the most amazing husband on the planet. Someday you’ll have a wife who’ll see things from a different perspective & that’s good! The two of you will become one, approaching the battles of life linked arm & arm. The blessing is that you each see things from a different angle so that helps you lead with an informed approach IF you’ll receive it. So when I offer a thought that might feel like correction, receive it as love knowing that I want the best for you & if it doesn’t resonate, brush it off, knowing that I offered because I love you!”
He thanked me for my thoughts & then said something that caught my attention. “I think I just want to make sure I’m doing the right thing…”
That word “right” has surfaced a LOT in my home recently & it carries a burden to know it all. David, however, has a different perspective in Psalm 141,
“Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don’t let me refuse it.”
What a humble heart-stance, right?
When we fight to be right we miss out on the freedom that comes from righteous correction.
I don’t know about you, but I want to be told if I’m headed toward a cliff! Fighting to be right carries a competitive edge that restrains us from the freedom that comes with course correction.
Father, don’t let us refuse correction. Holy Spirit, help us receive it as soothing medicine. We don’t need to be right, but know we’ll be alright when we let You lead.
2 KINGS 4:18-5:27
ACTS 15:1-35
PSALM 141:1-10
PROVERBS 17:23
Comments