kindj
Oct 30, 2007, 06:26 AM
True story:
A week or so ago, I became very angry with my 17 year old son. He was being disrespectful to his mother and I, and insisted that we had "no right" to do various things (ground him, correct his friends' behavior while they were in our home, etc.). I explained to him that he had apparently forgotten who it is that takes care of all the business in that house. I make the money, I fix the things that need fixing, I buy the cars and pay the insurance and gas, I buy the food, I pay the gas/electricity/phone bills, and so on. His mother prepares the food I buy, takes all the kids where they need to go, picks them up, organizes and manages their respective schedules (3 school age boys, pretty big task), she cleans the house and does the laundry, etc. Then I reminded him of his list of contributions, which was pathetically short. I wrapped it up by asking him how it was that he could be so rude, rebellious, and disrespectful to the very ones who ensure his existence.
The next day it occurred to me--I wonder if that's how God feels when we are disrespectful to Him by our words and actions. After all, He is the one by whom we exist, and without whom we would not. He has "paid the bills" in every respect for our benefit, and we still sometimes rebel against His authority.
Pretty humbling, when I thought about it.
A week or so ago, I became very angry with my 17 year old son. He was being disrespectful to his mother and I, and insisted that we had "no right" to do various things (ground him, correct his friends' behavior while they were in our home, etc.). I explained to him that he had apparently forgotten who it is that takes care of all the business in that house. I make the money, I fix the things that need fixing, I buy the cars and pay the insurance and gas, I buy the food, I pay the gas/electricity/phone bills, and so on. His mother prepares the food I buy, takes all the kids where they need to go, picks them up, organizes and manages their respective schedules (3 school age boys, pretty big task), she cleans the house and does the laundry, etc. Then I reminded him of his list of contributions, which was pathetically short. I wrapped it up by asking him how it was that he could be so rude, rebellious, and disrespectful to the very ones who ensure his existence.
The next day it occurred to me--I wonder if that's how God feels when we are disrespectful to Him by our words and actions. After all, He is the one by whom we exist, and without whom we would not. He has "paid the bills" in every respect for our benefit, and we still sometimes rebel against His authority.
Pretty humbling, when I thought about it.