One of The Best Things a Parent Can Do.

Now, I don’t know about you, but as a parent, I have blown it….no, really…big time. For the most part, I do OK when I’m dealing with my kids. Come on, we all have had moments where we look at ourselves and say, “You da man…woman…individual!” There are times where we get it right. However, it seems like the times we get it wrong are the times that stick, huh?

I just found out, after 11 years of being a parent, that the way to my kids’ hearts is through simply listening to them. I don’t know how much longer this will work, but I tried simply listening this past weekend and it is amazing what that can do for you and your child’s relationship. I learned more about my girls this weekend than I have in a long time and we became closer as a result of it. So, just take some time and hit a home run with your kids and just simply listen to them. You can find out a lot when all you do is listen.

This actually touches on a core principle that God tries to teach his children, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.  He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.” – Psalm 145:18-19.

See?  In this instance, God says…nothing.  He’s just there, waiting on us to call to Him.  He is always there and is always available, but sometimes, I think He simply wants us to reach out to Him and simply talk while He listens.  This does two things: 1) Allows us to realize that God doesn’t want to cripple us by giving us the answer all the time.  I think God uses inductive reasoning when we allow Him to.  He wants us, I believe, to use the minds that He has so carefully crafted to seek Him in order to find our answers.  It’s a wonderful symbiosis that takes place.  Our minds and the Spirit of God combining and mixing together to come to the best possible solution.  Remember, the scripture says that God saves them.  So you know that He’ll lead you to the answer, it’s just up to us how much effort we want to put into following Him there.  2) It allows us to find out who we are.  When we are struggling and searching for answers or just are simply used up and worn out, we may just simply need to vent.  When God listens to us, I believe that He allows our hearts to open up just enough for us to see ourselves a little clearer.  I don’t know about you, but I learn more about myself when I am in distress than when things are great.  Why?  Because, we are made in the image of God and in God’s greatest times of distress, (the fall, Jesus being crucified, countless other times in the Bible…), that is when we are able to see a father who is broken-hearted, but determined to win His children back because of His limitless love.

That’s beautiful.  That’s who God is.

So, are we supposed to try to follow THAT?  No, but we are supposed to strive to be the best parent that we can be.  So, take it from me, listen.

Just stop, ask them about their life, and listen.  You may learn more about you than you do about your child.  Either way, you’ll be better for it.