Children need parents who love them and support them. Support takes on many meanings. Sometimes situations that would seem to need discipline or correction really do not need it at all. They need consideration for whom you are talking to instead.
Last week was a very rough on me. My 20 year old went on vacation to another state, but that was not the “rough” part. On Sunday, I flipped a lid over on a casserole dish. I did not have a good hold on the knob on the lid. The side of the dish broke as the lid landed against it. Monday, I knocked over a cup of apple juice that I had sat in the top of a glass. The extra height gave it what it needed to douse my chair and my pants. But it did not stop there. It went across my keyboard, my desk, my lateral file, and onto a page of my open Bible. Tuesday, I knocked my cell phone off the counter and onto my foot. Thursday night, a bowl of soup slipped out of my hand and sloshed onto the table. Sunday, I hung my 3-inch heel on a step at the church. I fell onto a step below as my head butted the metal railing. Fortunately, I did not break the pair of glasses that I was holding in my hand. The only thing severely injured was my pride.
Although I took the whole week in stride, I had to wonder why I had such a week. If you had been following me around, you would have had to laugh at my lack of gracefulness.
I conversed across the Internet with my 20 year old. I told him he would not believe my week. When I got done, he shared his week. He had damaged his glasses.
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. Proverbs 20:11
I am sure that my imperfect week made it easier for him to tell me what happened. It also made me realize that my “known by his doings” responsible son did not need a lesson on responsibility. Things happen to all of us. What he really needed was a loving and understanding parent to encourage him. He needed to know that none of us are perfect all the time.