My son, Tim, and daughter-in-law, Leslee, are very good at teaching my grandchildren (ok, their children) to say, “please” and “thank you”. Even Ryder, who is only two years old says it very consistently. I love to hear that cute little voice say, “Thank you Grandpa” after I give him a cookie.
However, this is just part of the equation. Teaching them to say thank you is both a step in the right direction as well as a tool to get to the next step on the way to a much loftier goal; which surpasses this simple action and addresses their character. It does not just deal with what they do when given a cookie but what kind of person they will become. Our goal in parenting is to implant a grateful spirit in the heart of the child. Will this child see life as good because he is grateful for what he has? Or does life stink because he never seems to get what he deserves?
What if Ryder asks for a cookie and I tell him, “No”? Shouldn’t he still be thankful? I mean there are plenty of good reasons to limit the cookie intake of a two year old. It is almost worth giving him another cookie just to hear him once again say, “Thank you, Grandpa”. So if grandpa is holding back on the cookies it must be for a good reason.
Ryder does handle it pretty well when he doesn’t get a cookie. But this doesn’t just apply to Ryder. It also affects Grandpa. There are times in my life when things are not going as I would like them to. What is my response? I know that God loves to give good gifts to His children; but He too is a parent that is more concerned with our character than He is with our cookies. At times allowing me to have my desires may resemble giving a two-year-old command of the cookie jar. Either way, I need to be grateful. If God holds something back it doesn’t mean He loves me less. It means He loves me more. The Bible states that, “We have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:9-11). This Thanksgiving I am thankful for the many blessings God has given me and I am also thankful for the times He tells me, “No”, and the things He calls me to endure as He builds me into a better person.
considerthistruth 