Children Behave!

“Why can’t you kids just behave!” How many of us have ever experienced hearing such words from our parents as we struggled with getting along with our siblings. Children can become quite skilled at irritating each other for really no good reason at all; harassing and teasing each other to no end. They can fuss over the littlest things such as “Jimmy is looking at me.” or “Sally’s hand is on my side of the car seat.” It is sad when such temperament continues to be shared by siblings even into adulthood. I have seen this sort of conflict raise its ugly head during times when families really needed to draw together -- such as in the case of a death in a family -- even to the point that two separate memorial services had to be planned. How sad! How tragic! How childish!

Is our Heavenly Father also not grieved when His children will not get along? Can we not imagine His words, “Why can’t you kids just behave!”?

Writing to the church at Ephesus, Paul exhorted…
“(4:31) Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. (4:32) BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (5:1) Therefore be imitators of God, AS BELOVED CHILDREN. (5:2) AND WALK IN LOVE, AS CHRIST LOVED US and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” ( Ephesians 4:31 - 5:2 ESV)

LOVE is to mark our relationship together as disciples of Jesus ( John 13:35) and “BELOVED CHILDREN” of God. (note also 1 John 4:20) We are family and ought to follow the example of Jesus, the Son of God and our Elder Brother in the family. ( Hebrews 2:11 & 17) May we continually seek to please the Father through our family life together.

Have a great day BEHAVING AS A CHILD OF GOD!
Carl

See other teEn-MAIL on Christian Behavior