The Plumbline

Point your kids in the right direction— when they’re old they won’t be lost. (Proverbs 22:6) I used to think raising kids was going to be an easy task, but even after they are grown and on their own, you are not off the hook! They come to you with problems they need help solving, and if they are fortunate enough to be raising kids themselves, they are coming to you for advice on how to tackle their present parenthood issues. While being a parent is no easy task, I wonder what it is like for God to 'parent' an entire world full of individuals bent on making their own decisions, choosing their own plans, and acting completely contrary to wisdom at times? I wonder if God is 'pointing us in the right direction' and then stands confident that we will not be lost in the end? God certainly does a great deal 'rearing' of his kids, doesn't he? Imagine how much attention he has had to pay to your own life. Don't think about anybody else right now - just yourself. ...

Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you. (H. Jackson Brown, Jr.) How we choose to live our lives affects many more than those in our immediate circle of influence.  Our children, our children's children and their children on down through the generations become the recipients of the example we set in the here and now. A wise man once told me that what we "tolerate" in our lives today will become the foundation for us moving closer and closer to tolerating something just a little worse down the road until one day we are so far from what we once stood for that it is hardly even recognizable anymore. Nothing could be more true. The righteous live with integrity; happy are their children who come after them. (Proverbs 20:7 CEB) I know there were days when my kids were growing up where my "example" slipped a little. I sometimes lost my cool over stuff that really didn't matter all that much. I opted for ...

I don't think we can become wise overnight, but in the development of our lives, we learn to embrace truths and live well.  In turn, we bring honor to our parents - if not our earthly father or mother, then our heavenly Father is honored immensely!  We are "parented" by more than just our earthly parents in this life, so if you did not have the best of parents on this earth, you still have a pretty awesome chance of turning out pretty well when you come under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit.  Parenting is a pretty scary thing - I know, because I am one!  You get this new life, all squiggly and warm, looking to you to do the best job possible (whatever that is), and then you embark on this lifelong journey of trying to figure out how to raise this blessed bundle of joy.  Some parents aren't ready for their "mission" on this life, doing a pretty poor job with it from the get-go.  Others embrace it head on and seemingly get along pretty well in those first fo...

Scripture has much to offer in the way of the correction children need in their formative years and probably one of the hottest debated topics is the use of "spanking" or "paddling" your children.  I remember this debate quite well as a new parent, having been raised in a home where spanking was an acceptable means of discipline, but being surrounded with other new parents who thought "hitting" your child was just totally wrong.  I don't seek to settle the dilemma today as to "right" or "wrong" as it applies to spanking or paddling your children, but please hear me out as this lesson unfolds.  I think there is a principle being taught in the scripture which goes beyond the "means" of discipline used to correct the child to the "heart" behind any and all discipline rendered by a parent.  It is for the correction of behavior which will lead the child into harmful stuff if ignored - and when rendered with the heart...

Do you dislike "playing second fiddle" to anyone?  You know - being subordinate to anyone or anything.  If some of us were really honest right now, we'd admit we don't like "playing second fiddle" to anyone or anything!  We like being in charge and we don't want to depend on anyone else.  There is something to be learned in dependence which never will be learned as long as we declare and hold fast to our independence though.  Maybe this lesson is just too hard to learn, so we resist it so dearly.  A friend and I were talking the other day about whether either of us would see ourselves remarried again in the future.  It came down to a talk about liking our "independence" vs. "being dependent" on someone else.  Bottom line, I ended the conversation with, "Independence is not always what it is cracked up to be!" Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be ...

Most parents live for the day when they see their sons and daughters moving into their adulthood, strong and secure in their abilities.  This is "graduation" season for many parents and students.  Students will receive their "promotion" in the form of a diploma, many well-wishes, and a few parties to celebrate.  Parents will endure the mixed emotions of the significance of the moment, coupled with their desires to see their children succeed in every pursuit.  We have big dreams for them - some will be realized and others will blossom way beyond our imagining.   "And you, Solomon my son, get to know well your father's God; serve him with a whole heart and eager mind, for  God  examines every heart and sees through every motive. If you seek him, he'll make sure you find him, but if you abandon him, he'll leave you for good. Look sharp now!  God  has chosen  you  to build his holy house. Be brave, determined! And do it!"  (I Chr...