The argument began in the basement, rolled up the stairs and erupted into the living room. Nine-year-old Grant and ten-year-old Jared were having a theological disagreement.
“Grandma”, said Jared, “Grant wants to know what God put us here to do?”
“Yeah”, chimed in Grant. “My step dad says we’re here to have fun.”
My reply was an unthinking reflex action. “God put us here to glorify Him.” Then I drew a deep breath, prayed silently for wisdom and prepared to go into great Biblical detail. Too late!
“See, Grant,” Jared (a good little Baptist was saying.) “I told you God didn’t put us here to have FUN.” And they were off down the stairs leaving me with the after shocks.
‘God put us here to glorify him’ must surely seem like a dry and stingy answer to children. And was ‘God put us here to have fun’ an altogether wrong answer? It deserved some discussion at least. Why did I murder a great teaching opportunity before it could draw a healthy breath? I’ve taken counseling courses. I know how to encourage discussion. And given a little time I may have thought of Ecclesiastes 12:13 -
Fear God, keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. What a great teaching moment that could have been!
But maybe the greatest aftershock was the realization that my grandsons came to me for an answer fully believing I would have it. Then they accepted my answer as the final truth. Now THAT is a frightening thought!
Dear God, my grown grandsons now know Grandma does not have all the answers. I pray I have succeeded in pointing them to Your Word, written and Living, the only true source of all wisdom.
"A Missed Teaching Moment" - Anne Phillips
"A Missed Teaching Moment" - Anne Phillips
The argument began in the basement, rolled up the stairs and erupted into the living room. Nine-year-old Grant and ten-year-old Jared were having a theological disagreement.
“Grandma”, said Jared, “Grant wants to know what God put us here to do?”
“Yeah”, chimed in Grant. “My step dad says we’re here to have fun.”
My reply was an unthinking reflex action. “God put us here to glorify Him.” Then I drew a deep breath, prayed silently for wisdom and prepared to go into great Biblical detail. Too late!
“See, Grant,” Jared (a good little Baptist was saying.) “I told you God didn’t put us here to have FUN.” And they were off down the stairs leaving me with the after shocks.
‘God put us here to glorify him’ must surely seem like a dry and stingy answer to children. And was ‘God put us here to have fun’ an altogether wrong answer? It deserved some discussion at least. Why did I murder a great teaching opportunity before it could draw a healthy breath? I’ve taken counseling courses. I know how to encourage discussion. And given a little time I may have thought of Ecclesiastes 12:13 -
Fear God, keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. What a great teaching moment that could have been!
But maybe the greatest aftershock was the realization that my grandsons came to me for an answer fully believing I would have it. Then they accepted my answer as the final truth. Now THAT is a frightening thought!
Dear God, my grown grandsons now know Grandma does not have all the answers. I pray I have succeeded in pointing them to Your Word, written and Living, the only true source of all wisdom.