Parenting Challenges

After He created Heaven and Earth, God created Adam and Eve.  The first thing He did was tell them them the things they were not to do. "Don't," said God.

"Don't what?" replied Adam.

"Don't eat the forbidden fruit," God repeated.

"Forbidden fruit? We've got forbidden fruit? Hey, Eve, look... we've got forbidden fruit!"

"No way!" exclaimed Eve.

"No kidding!"

"Don't eat that fruit!" said God.

"Why?" asked both.

"Because I'm your Father and I said so!" said God, and he wondered what He had started.

A little while later God checked in and sure enough, there they were having an apple break.  As any parent who was disobeyed would be, He was angry. "Didn't I tell you not to eat that fruit?" the First Parent asked.

"Uh huh," Adam replied.

"Then why did you?"

"I dunno," Eve answered.

"She started it!" Adam said.

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

"Did not!" And so on.

Having had it with the two of them, God's "punished" Adam and Eve by giving them children of their own. Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

There is a powerful lesson for parents in this story we've told so many times.  If you have found parenting to be a challenge, don't get beat yourself up.  If you have persistently and lovingly given your children rules, guidance and wisdom but they haven't always taken it, don't be too hard on yourself. Think about it this way instead - if God had trouble with His children, why do you think it would be easy for you?