“The Lesson Book” is August 21’s morning entry from Dr. David Jeremiah’s ‘Turning Points with God: 365 Daily Devotions’.
"I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them." 1 Samuel 3:13
A boy stole a lesson book and took it home to his mother, who did not punish him, but encouraged the act. A little while later he stole a cloak and brought it to her, and again she praised him. As the boy grew into a man, he continued to steal things of greater value until one day, he was caught in the act and led away to a public execution. Just before his sentence was to be carried out, he noticed his mother in the crowd and shouted angrily to her, “Ah, if you had beaten me when I first stole and brought you that lesson book, I should not have come to this, nor have been led to a disgraceful death!”
Studies have shown that babies can thrive without sight, hearing, or smell but can die from lack of affection. In the same way, children can live without new toys, better clothes, and trips to Disneyland, but they will fail to thrive without boundaries.
Our Father in heaven gives us boundaries to live by because He knows what is best for us and He deeply loves us. As parents, let us follow God’s example and show our children love by giving them what they need: boundaries.
To end, a quote from David Fyfe, “It is dangerous to confuse children with angels.”
