Children have a way of pushing our buttons. They seem to know exactly what irritates us, and seem to delight in testing limits. These testing moments seem like intrusions, keeping us from the teaching we want to do. But could they really be opportunities?
We tend to picture opportunities to teach our children as happy scenes, where everyone acts just the way they should. But perhaps the real teaching comes as our children watch us in the tough moments and see if we can model the self-control, patience, and kindness we’re forever reminding them to show. While it’s hard to remember, it’s in those testing moments that we have an opportunity to display to our child God’s power and to model godly responses.
Of course, we can’t model godly responses our own. But praise God He gave us the Holy Spirit who can help us respond well in those testing moments. When we fail (which we will), we can model repentance. If we do that, those testing moments can transform from intrusions into opportunities.
I’m a sinner saved by grace through Jesus Christ. I’m also a writer—I’ve been writing ever since I could hold a pen. I…