Most mornings I am out in front of the elementary school my youngest daughter attends. I have volunteered to stop parents from dropping their child off on the street because they don’t want to take time to go through the car line. I do it because children’s safety is at stake.
There is a problem. On mornings I can’t do it for one reason or another, I go through the car line. When I come out, there are parents dropping their children off where I usually stand. When I’m there they don’t even try it. It’s the same parents every time.
I think to myself, “It’s one thing to make a mistake but it’s quite another to be blatant about it. And then the parents wonder why their child disobeys when they aren’t in the room.”
Walking into Bible Study one day a thought occurred to me. Is that the way my Heavenly Father sees it when I deliberately disobey Him? Times when He has told me not be angry, yet I blow my stack? Or He wants me to do something, yet I don’t do it? Does he get angry or frustrated, like I do with these parents?
I’m sure He is disappointed. The thing of it is, He doesn’t let me stay in the disobedience. He uses His Holy Spirit to convict and pursue me until I confess and change direction. By the way, it’s always done with love, not condemnation.
The pursuit is evidence that I am His. These parents may not be in a relationship with Him or have hardened their hearts to His discipline.
The parents are showing their children it’s ok to break the rules and do what you want if no one is there to stop to you. Am I any better?
I have gone over the speed limit, with my daughters in the car, especially when we’re running late. Then suddenly, I catch a glimpse of a patrol car sitting in a parking lot. I hit the breaks to slow down, hoping it was in time.
It’s the same way with spending time in God’s word and talking with Him. If I’m not living out how He wants me to, laid out in scripture, it’s meaningless. My daughters will see no difference and not bother.
James says, “In the same way faith by itself if it is not accompanied by action is dead.” (James 2: 26) If we are not living out our faith, those around us will not see a difference and our example, especially to our children is worthless at best and at its worst is damaging. I need to be practicing my faith whether or not people see it. Reality is there is someone watching twenty-four seven and that is our Heavenly Father.
Have you seen others who blatantly break the rules? How does it make you feel? Are there areas in your life that you are setting bad examples for your children, those at work, or even those in the neighborhood?
Ask God to change it, and then be patient as He changes you from the inside out.
“Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.”
Romans 14:13
Solitude with the Father 