DO YOUR KIDS A FAVOR - WATCH THEIR MOUTHS.

(This one is worth reading to the end.  I apologize that it is kind of lengthy) 
 So let's say your children go to a school that has some rules.  You don't mind rules. Rules are good.So let's say... that one of the school's rules is that they do not allow any child to wear a PURPLE SHIRT.  You may wonder why they don't allow purple shirts...but a rule is a rule. One morning your sweet child comes to breakfast in a purple shirt, ready to leave for school.

What would you do?
Would you think, "Well, having a 'No Purple Shirt Rule' is a dumb rule anyway" and I don't want to deal with the drama of telling him to change his shirt - so I'll just let him wear the shirt."  I can't imagine you'd let your kid leave the house KNOWING THERE WOULD BE DISCIPLINE WAITING FOR YOUR CHILD?????  I think you'd say, "Go change your shirt.  You know you can't wear a purple shirt to school."  You would enforce the rule in order to protect your child from the consequences of breaking it - and not necessarily because you agree with it. 

God has rules.  He calls them His Law.  I am SO THANKFUL that I am not required to EARN my salvation by keeping it.  I cannot.  Every now and then I will read what His law says, in the Old Testament.  It makes me remember what a GIFT God's GRACE is.
Reading the Law reminds me of where I would be if it were not for Jesus.  And though I live under GRACE and MERCY and the power of THE BLOOD OF JESUS... the truth is that God's Law is STILL God's Law.  Jesus didn't say, "God has changed His standards and has done away with The Law." Just the opposite.  Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."  (Matthew 5:17)

SO LET ME JUST SAY BEFORE I SAY ANYTHING THAT THIS BLOG AND THE ONES THAT FOLLOW ARE NOT IN ANY WAY SAYING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP THE LAW.

But... even though we are no longer required to keep the Law.. because of Jesus.. it reminds us of what God's standards actually are. 
For example,  the Bible has a verse in Leviticus 20:9
“‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death. Because they have cursed their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head."  Really?  PUT TO DEATH?
The New Living Bible puts it this way: “Anyone who dishonors father or mother must be put to death. Such a person is guilty of a capital offense."

And the full definition for the word "curse" is not ONLY using a four letter expletive.  It's an attitude that children have with their parents.  It means, "to be slight, be trifling, be of little account,  be insignificant  to be lightly esteemed, to make despicable, to treat with contempt, bring contempt or dishonour" (Strong's)

It's a child (of ANY AGE) who says things like, "my parents are so old fashioned; dumb; annoying; intrusive; not cool" or any other word that makes light of a parent's role. It's talking this way TO them and ABOUT them behind their backs.

God's LAW was that a child like that would LOSE HIS VERY LIFE if they SPOKE and ACTED that way.  Because it was like an deadly infection in the Kingdom to allow a child to do this.

Really? Really. THIS is God's standard in a world where the most popular song is kids telling the world, "this is our house, we'll say what we want to, do what we want to and we won't stop, and we can't stop and you cannot make us stop" (my paraphrase)

I'm not telling you to go get a rod and staff, mom, and live like an Israelite lived in the days of Leviticus... But I am telling you that
Children acting like this... is... BEHAVIOR THAT GOD CONSIDERS SO UNACCEPTABLE that it would cost that kid his actual, very life.  You are living in the Land of Grace...

• Teach your child that Jesus loves him/her.

• Teach your child that through Jesus there is infinite mercy and forgiveness..

• AND if you love your child.. and want your child to live in a way that pleases God..you will start to say things like, 

 "You are not allowed to speak to me like that."

And then..... don't allow it.

I expect this blog has annoyed some of you. That is not my intention.
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XO,
Mrs. Older