Because God Said So!

You know what I love about God?  Okay, a lot of things.  But one of the parenting devices I often pull out of my Mom Tool Belt is the phrase,

"Hey, Jack!* God said it, not me."

Look at those sweet faces. How could they do anything wrong?

This works for the following scenarios:

• Your son keeps annoying his little brother, his little sister, and well, EVERYONE.  Mom response?  "God calls us to be KIND and LOVING (Colossians 3.12-14).  Were you being kind just now?" See?
• One of your kids just WILL NOT LISTEN.  Take from your tool box: "You are not obeying me.  Do you know who says you should obey your parents?  GOD does (Ephesians 6.1; Colossians 3.20)!" BAM.



This one doesn't like anything that's good for him.

• Your middle child won't eat his vegetables or decides that he would rather have something other than water to drink.  "Water is so good for you," I say.  "Tell me, who made the broccoli?" You've got it. God gets all the credit (Genesis 1)!

I am being somewhat smug with my Mommy quips, but the Bible does refer to God's words as weapons, "cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what (Hebrews 4.12)." So using God's written commands as a part of our parenting and discipline process, can only help build up our Mommy defenses.  He "protects you from every side (Psalm 139.5 CEV)." In other words, you tell those kids what is right, and God will back you up!

Bonus: Not only does allowing God to help enforce our family rules  take the stress off of us, but it somehow shuts down some of the talk-back factor too.  I mean, who can argue with GOD?!

In what parenting situations do you find strength in God's Word?

*Duck Dynasty fan reference.  Thank you, Uncle Si.