The Scales of Justice

The surrogate parenting saga continues… in the past few days, we’ve had to increase the disciple to Nathan, the oldest. He kept pushing the envelope and increasing in his contempt and disobedience. So the other night we threw out the big guns. We sent him to his room for an indefinite amount of time (I know what some of you are thinking, pretty mild, especially when I look at my own childhood, it’s nothing compared to a tanned hide, but time in his room usually impacts him). Anyway, after an hour, we laid it out for him. Talked about why he was being punished, and his motives for hitting his brother and lying to us about it. So I told him that if he lied again he would spend the rest of the day in his room, regardless of what time it was. Made all the difference in the world (although part of me wonders if we’re just perpetuating behavior modification or is he really getting it).
Anyway, as Judy and I discussed what our motives for punishments and discipline are and should be, we saw that we disciplined them truly because we cared, and to protect them from the much harsher consequences in the world. For example, to discipline him for hitting his brother now, and learning the lesson now, he would avoid the harsher consequence of getting into a fist fight at school. So as we saw that our discipline was due to our love, I started to draw the parallel with God. His discipline flows from his love. His placing consequences for sin is out of love. To awaken us to the harsher truths.
Anyway, as a temp. parent, this is a huge lesson to get before we actually have our own kids.
I remember someone (I think it was Nate) who told me that having kids opens your eyes to the character and love of God in a whole new way. Boy was he right.
Roach out.