Teachable moments...

Don't you just love it, as a parent, when you are intending to teach your child something and it ends up being one of God's 2x4s for YOU instead of them?

Ok, maybe "love" is too strong a word.
Way too strong.
Humbling is more like it.

My oldest son and I have being going rounds multiple times daily for the last few weeks. He has reached to new levels of disrespect and defiance. He's so angry.

This time last week, he was screaming at me because I asked him to do his chores (extra chores he "earned" by making a VERY bad choice earlier in the summer). I sent him to his room, where he proceeded to scream and yell at me about being in his room. And he punched his brother in the face because he was mad at me. :::sigh:::

He then started telling me that it was my fault he was acting this way because I'm always making him mad. Let me tell you, I've had enough of people telling me their behavior is my fault. I sent the other kids outside, said some things I really wish I hadn't and then I pulled out my deadly-quiet voice.

I asked him, "What do you suppose God thinks about how you're behaving right now?" He said he didn't know in his I-don't-care voice. Oooooh that voice makes me mad.

I started quoting verses.
You know, like "Honor thy father and mother"
"Be kind, one to another."
He was sneering, but quiet, until I got to,
"Love your neighbor as yourself."

Full swing attitude came in.
"How can I love my neighbor if you won't let me go outside and play? Who the heck is my neighbor anyway?"
Heh.

I think... yay! Teachable moment!

The answer's in your Bible child. "No it isn't!"
Oh yes, it is.

I told him to go get his Bible and open it up.
He yelled and screamed that he didn't want to, didn't have to, wasn't going to. Blah blah blah. He got his Bible.

I told him find the parable of the Good Samaritan.
He yelled and screamed that he already knows it, can't find it, I can't make him. Blah blah blah. He started looking and found it.

I told him to read it.
He yelled and screamed that it was a waste of time, it's boring, it's stupid. Blah blah blah. He read it.

I told him to get a notebook and a pen and write a summary of the parable.
He yelled and screamed that he didn't want to, didn't have to, wasn't going to. Blah blah blah. He started writing.

I told him to write down what he learned from the story and write down the answer to his question.
He yelled and screamed.... all of the above. Blah blah blah. Then silence.

He walked out of his room, head down, and handed me his notebook. I said, "Well?" He looked at his toes and mumbled, "Everyone's my neighbor." Exactly.

"And guess what? You're doing this again tomorrow." He opened his mouth to yell and scream... and said nothing. He went back to his room, laid down on his bed and played/read quietly the rest of the day.

Ah ha! I thought. The key to peace and quiet. I should have known.

so the next morning, all full of myself and my parenting pride, I found the "perfect passage" designed to hit home as hard as possible. I handed him his Bible and his notebook. He grumbled a little and started to say, "I'm not doing it -" I gave him a look, "unless you do it with me."

Oh.
But... but... I don't want to. I don't have to. You can't make me. Blah blah blah.
Oops.

That parenting pride thing? Umm... yeah. See, when I picked that passage, it was meant for HIM and his attitude. Not for me.

Yeah. Right.
So, we read the passage. And we've read something together every other day since.

God hit me upside the head with my pride... and His Word.
Not a bad thing.
But boy, it hurt.