Our Insufficiency

Our culture and our world emphasize self-esteem and a pride in our accomplishments, but usually the best place to be is not a place of self-confidence, but a place where we recognize our failures and shortcomings, where we realize that we are not sufficient and where we are forced to fall on our knees and beg God for His mercy.

We are always challenged as parents.  We are humbled.  Even on our best days, we come up short.  My two-year-old offers me her little drawing of scribbles. “Wook, Daddy, wook!” she says.  My reaction s not to throw it back at her in a rage saying, “What is this? Just a bunch of scribbles on a piece of paper?  Take it away!”  No.  I take her up in my arms and say, “Thank you sweetheart!  You drew this for me?”  I post it over my desk.  She gave me a little piece of her heart.  She wanted to please me with the drawing, and she is pleased when she sees that I am pleased.

Similarly, when we parents, as the adopted children of our heavenly Father, present our parenting work to God as scribbles on a piece of paper, we must believe that He will accept it and that His grace will cover us.  We must believe that when God posts our grubby, blotchy artwork, He really can turn it into something great.  It is only then that we realize what we really mean when we cry out to our children, “My son, give me your heart.” ~ Kevin Swanson “Upgrade“

The truth is that we are not sufficient, that we can’t do a ‘good enough’ job.  If we fail to recognize this then we are liable to miss the most important ingredient in the raising of a godly seed, God’s mercy and grace.

Other posts in “Your Child’s Heart” series:

• Your Child’s Heart?
• How Can You Tell if You Have Your Child’s Heart?
• What’s Your Responsibility (Discipline)
• What’s Your Responsibility (Instruction)
• It Requires Time
• The Pearl’s and Your Child’s Heart
• How do You Find the Time? Part 1
• How do You Find the Time? Part 2
• How do You Find the Time? Part 3

You may also enjoy:

1. Your Child’s Heart: How Do you Find the Time? Part 3
2. The Pearls and Your Child’s Heart
3. Your Child’s Heart Requires Time