Recalcitrant or Respectful

You ever really pay attention to a child the first time you say, “no” to something they touched or do? “No, honey, that will hurt you.” “Nope, you can’t play with that.” There may not have been any danger in it. Perhaps it was a right or wrong issue. Maybe just a parents preference. Their face, however, goes through a crucible of manipulation attempting to understand the prohibition. And their Will sets in place strength for obedience or hardening toward defiance. These choices are the little persons prerogative. They begin to understand their choices and gain respect for the word, "No."

When you catch them doing the forbidden again the face is different. There’s the sneaky quick pull away accompanied with the, "I did nothing wrong" face. The humble I’m sorry it was just so tempting face. Then there’s the recalcitrant dare you to say something face. Each of these must be met with consequence in order for the child to grow up and know boundaries, at home and in society.

While these represent real lessons on molding a child to live healthy and happy, there are spiritual analogies that can be made. What boundaries does God's Word call into play as we live this life? And we, like those little people get to choose the response we will have toward our Father. As we learn the WORD of GOD, we get to decide how we will handle obedience to all our Father teaches us. Will we respond with recalcitrance or respect? As our understanding grows so should our response of obedience. "To touch or not to touch," is just symbolic for "to do or not to do" what says the Lord.

Often each of us find ourselves intrigued by sin, our fleshly desires loom large. Many times we choose to surrender to our desires and deny unabashedly what we've been told not to touch. There are times in ignorance of the full weight of sin, we stumble. The Father makes clear in His Word the Wrong of a thing. When we know, we are left without excuse. When we find out, we repent , turning from those things with respect and humility. No more faces coming from any of us that exemplify rebellion.

We may be saved from sin, but we have a huge RESPONSIBILITY to obedience. God gave us His Word so we may become more responsiblity. This should also cause us to progress into a more sanctified and obedient Child.

Yet we know as we raise our children, sometimes the one who questioned our authority the most; who crossed lines they shouldn’t; challenge us at every turn can be the most rewarding adult. They can also find themselves the most delinquent. Each of us show our Father which we’ve chosen by how well we listen and become doers of His instruction. That is doers without pouty faces. Not recalcitrant doers, but respectful and willing.

If we were saved only for heaven, we would have died when we got saved. We are alive for so much more.

Luke 12:35-48

1 Thessalonians 2:4

James 1:22-27