Transcript
It really is true, not every wrong thing your child does is a direct rebellion to authority. Much of that wrong is the result of character; or maybe the way to say it is bad character, the lack of character or the need for character development. Think about how God works in all of our lives. In His justifying grace, He forgives us for our rebellion against Him, gives us a new heart; but He's not done.
Long-Term Progressive Grace
He works then by long-term progressive grace to change us, change us at the level of character, to change us at the level of the heart; and here's what I love about this. The Bible does something that is just so significant when it talks about character. It connects character to the worship of your child's heart.
Now you say, "Well, I don't know what that means." Well, maybe the tricky word in that statement is the word "worship". You see, your child doesn't just worship on Sunday. Your child worships his way through every moment of every day. You could argue that the only thing your child does is worship.
What does that mean? There's something always ruling the heart of your child. Your child is always living for something and here's the connection. What rules the heart of your child will then control his thoughts, desires, choices, and actions in the given moments of life.
Man, I can't tell you how much I love this, that every character moment gives you an opportunity to talk about the most important thing in human life: worship. Everything in that child, every moment in his life is meant to be done with God in view. Don't just hunt for rebellion. Look with joy for those character moments because they give an opportunity to talk about the most important thing in human life.
