As a follow-up from last week’s post, let me urge you to use this spring as an opportunity to get next to your children.

• To come to grips with the barriers that are blocking the flow of your love and affection (and theirs).
• To face the facts before the bruise leads to a permanent, domestic fracture.

We’re not Immune

Three biblical cases come to my mind:

1. Rebekah—who favored Jacob over Esau . . . and used him to deceive his father, Isaac, which led to a severe family breakdown (Genesis 27).
2. Eli—who was judged by God because of his lack of discipline and failure to stand firm when his boys began to run wild (1 Samuel 3:11–14).  Eli especially stands out for us as pastors, because he was in the ministry!
3. David—who committed the same sin against his son, Adonijah, by never restraining him or crossing him throughout his early training (1 Kings 1:5–6).

You see, no one is immune . . . not even Bible characters . . . not even pastors!

So then, let’s move ahead. Let’s refuse to pamper our parental negligence any longer.