Covenant Life Fellowship
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Donations
  • Nuggets of Gold
  • Today's Teachings
  • Contacts
  • Events

Raising Lions or Raising Lambs? by David Lindsay

9/2/2019

0 Comments

 
Thoughts on Parenting: Raising Lions or Raising Lambs?
I grew up in a culture where submission, obedience and dying to self were the greatest virtues it seemed. And virtues they are, but they not the only ones.
That culture appealed to me since I was a SHY and FEARFUL CHILD. So living this way did not require courage of me. Instead, I could hide my fears behind the guise of 'HUMILITY'.
As a young parent, I remember one, experienced mother telling me that:
The way she raised her children was to RESTRAIN THEM in her arms and to NOT LET GO until THEIR WILL WAS BROKEN and they surrendered. They kicked and screamed but she did let go, no matter how long it took!
At the time, I saw this as a cool parenting technique. SUBMISSION! HUMILITY! That was probably because it fit the WEAK and POWERLESS narrative that I was hiding behind.
I know that this philosophy impacted how I parented, but I changed along the way, but maybe not soon enough. Thank you, God, for your mercy and for revelation!
So, do we raise lions or lambs??
It can be said that:
There is NO VIRTUE in turning the other cheek if THE ONLY REASON you do so is because YOU HAVE NO STRENGTH to do otherwise.
One paraphrase of the verse, "Blessed are the meek" (Matt 5:5) is:
BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE SWORDS AND KNOW HOW TO USE THEM, BUT WHO CHOOSE TO KEEP THEM SHEATHED.
It has been said: True MEEKNESS is strength under control.
We do no favors to our children by teaching them to be weak and powerless. Or by teaching them that they do not have a voice.
We must teach our children that they are powerful and that: "With great power comes great responsibility."
We will do better raising lions than raising lambs. That is because sheep can only follow. They wander aimlessly without a leader because they have neither strength nor courage to lead themselves.
POWERLESS PEOPLE do not own their virtues or their relationship with God. They simply follow.
Yes, I know about the Good Shepherd and following Him and about submission. That's another discussion. . But, my thoughts here are towards those, who have struggled, like me.
Powerlessness is not a virtue.
We must teach our children to live and to love from virtue, not from fear!
We must teach our children that they have a voice and that they matter!
We must teach our children the power of responsibility and that their actions always have consequence that they alone are responsible for.
But this cannot be taught if they never have freedom to make choices.
What about humility and service to God and their fellowman??
I will simply say, most virtues are better caught than taught.
They learn humility from us.
They learn submission to authority through us.
Lead by example FIRST through your lifestyle and then add words.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Robert Lindsay 
    Covenant Life Fellowship

    Archives

    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015

    Categories

    All
    Testimony

    RSS Feed



    ​Board Members Login
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.