"Our Salvation (and our kids' as well) is by GRACE ALONE through FAITH ALONE in CHRIST ALONE. GRACE ALONE."
The example that sticks out to me from the Introduction is the story about the child that says, "Mom, I can't love my brother!" (Here it is, for those of you who don't have your books yet.)
"Jessica heard the terrifying scream emanating from the playroom. Frantically rushing out of the bathroom (Every mom knows what this is like!), she found her eldest son, Wesley (then four), seated atop his little brother pounding away. As she forcefully yanked Wesley off his brother, she pled with him, "Wesley, you must love your brother!"
"But he makes me so mad! I can't love him!" Wesley replied through angry tears.
How would YOU respond? How HAVE you responded in situations similar to this? Do you see this as an opportunity to share the gospel with your child?
Most of us have children too young to really be able to relate with this example, but it is coming soon!
I can pretty easily imagine myself responding with the law instead of the gospel (and as Elyse makes clear later in the book, ANYTHING that is not GOSPEL is LAW!) Something short and to the point like, "YOU HAVE to love your brother". Law. No grace, no gospel.
How amazing would it be to take advantage of this opportunity in our children's lives to gospel them and shower them in the same outrageous grace that has been gifted to us through Jesus!
The response Elyse gives on pg. 21 that models the gospel in this situation is amazing, but definitely not 2 year-old appropriate. The closest I think we get to this this with Owen is saying something like, "Let's pray together that Jesus would help you and change your heart so you can love your sister and obey your mommy and daddy."
What about YOU!? I want to hear what is sticking with you so far! Please comment away. I am learning so much already.
by GRACE ALONE,
~Adelle
It's a reminder of how important it is to not just address the behavior alone, which is so easy to get caught up in. Each situation like that is an opportunity to teach and focus on their heart. It's also a reminder of not only how we can show our kids grace, but to remember to model giving grace to those around us...our spouses, family, friend. Love it!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, this book has been a challenge for me so far. It is SO different from how I have directed my heart, thoughts, and behavior that I feel like it is becoming more a book teaching me about grace, rather than a book that solely about parenting. I think the authors mention it in ch. 1 about how WE have to grasp the concept of grace before we will become successful at parenting this way. I have been convicted over and over again how my heart tends to want to raise "good" kids who display things like good manners, etc. It really pierces the heart when the authors mention how these things aren't any different from non Christian parents. How are we going to be different? Has anyone thought about how to make this age appropriate? You're right Adelle, I love the way the authors give examples, but they are even a little overwhelming for me. I think bottom line, if we can continue to express that God will love us no matter what and that out of our gratitude and brokenness for what Christ has done is where a true desire to obey comes from, then that is the main idea.
ReplyDeleteHey Becky! Sorry for taking so long to respond to these comments! This book is definitely challenging me as well. I would say that the examples she gives can seem really overwhelming (especially when thinking about how to converse with a little one... a 3 paragraph explanation of the gospel won't go very far with a 2 year old!) This actually is making me want to read something more in line with learning GRACE for ourselves! Like the "Cross Centered Life" by C.J. Mahaney. Anyhow, we are all in the same boat and are learning together! Let's keep praying that God would really dig into our hearts and show us what it means to be saved by GRACE ALONE!
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