Quarreled and Tested

Parenting is hard. I remember when my boys were toddlers and how I thought it will be so much easier when they get older because their needs would be less demanding. Wrong! When they are young children have more demands and needs, but their needs are usually met in the same way. On the other hand, as teenagers they require that we meet their needs in different, more individualized ways. In other words, younger children may need you more often, but their needs may be easier to meet. Teenagers have entered a phase where they are discovering themselves and working to gain their independence, yet need your support to do so.

This has often led to quarreling between parent and child, because their individualized needs as teenagers might not be what we are willing to offer or even have the capacity to give. We often hear things like, “my friends parents let them” or “why are you so mean” because they don’t perceive the situation as we do. Much like a toddler not knowing why you won’t buy them the toy in the store, the teenager cannot see from their own wisdom why we make the decisions we do. It’s all about maturity, but maturity goes both ways!

As a parent, I do have to recognize that I am not always right, and I am not complete in my wisdom either. I may be further along and more experienced but if I am honest, I have my regrets. Some of the decisions I have made as a parent I would have done different now if I had the chance. That is maturity, recognizing that mentally and emotionally we are never perfect and the journey towards wisdom is never complete.

In one of the scripture verses (Exodus 17:1-7) we will read this Sunday we will hear how the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, because they were angry that their needs were not being met. God had delivered the Israelites from slavery to Egypt and were now leading them to the promise land, but hunger and thirst caused them to act like a bunch of toddlers. God would listen to their grumbling and provide water from a rock which Moses would strike with his staff. However, the journey to the promise land would eventually be prolonged because of their failure to believe that God could help them, and the people as a whole were persuaded that it was not possible to take the promise land.

I wonder how often my faith journey has been detoured from God’s original path because I often respond to God’s direction as a toddler or teenager? Let’s talk about this more on Sunday. Join us for worship at either 8:30 or 10:45 AM as we continue this conversation.

In God’s grip,

Pastor Chuck Church