Bible Parents —The Flawed One
Hebrews 12:4-8 (MSG)
My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects.
God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children.
King David is a towering biblical figure, revered and admired by millions - even God describes him as 'a man after my own heart ' (Acts 13:22, I Sam 13:14). But was he the perfect parent?
No!
He didn't make a very good job of disciplining his own children. We read of one son, Adonijah: 'His father had spoiled him rotten as a child, never once reprimanding him.' (I Kings 1:5,6 MSG)
And worse still, when another son, Amnon, committed a terrible sexual crime against his own sister, we read: 'King David heard the whole story and was enraged, but he didn't discipline Amnon. David doted on him because he was his firstborn. (2 Sam 13:21-22)
David spoiled his children. The lack of loving but firm discipline on his part resulted in family division and disaster.
David was far from the perfect parent. What about your parents? They may have been good or bad at parenting - but even if good, were they perfect? If you're a parent - how perfect are you? (Ask my daughter about me!)
The wonderful truth is we do have a perfect parent - God. He treats us, his children, with the perfect mixture of unconditional love and discipline. What is his discipline towards us? It's not punishment for our wrongdoing; that was all laid on Jesus on the cross.
The word 'discipline' (as with 'disciple) carries the ideas of training and teaching. God the Holy Spirit is our teacher, training us in the way of love. And sometimes the best training takes place in hard times. I do not believe God heaps hard times on us as a punishment, but rather he permits them so that we will learn more of the depth of his love as we trust him to carry us through.
Prayer - Thank you that you are the good, good Father.