Last night we told the truth about the Bible to our boys.
You know, the fact that it isn't just filled with stories of hero's and do gooders, miracles and people coming to Jesus.
Yes, we told them the truth.
Let me give you the background. We had a certain situation where a person told a story around us (not just us, a lot of people actually). We, as a family, thought it was filled with inappropriate themes. Since this instance my kids have felt that they shouldn't listen or be respectful of this particular person. We actually took our concerns to some people, including the person in question. His response was respectful. We are trying to teach the boys that just because someone has done something that is inappropriate or wrong, it doesn't mean that we have to shut them out and decide that that person is not good or deserving of respect. Because the truth is we all sin. We all fall short of God's glory. God forgives each one of us. He loves each one of us.
Fast forward (well technically rewind) to last night. We had to break it to them that King David, yes, the hero who killed Goliath, saw a women who was married, decided he wanted her as his wife (we didn't go into too much detail here seeing how they are still 7 and 9), had her husband killed so that he could then marry her.
Owen's response was "but she was already married. You can't marry someone who was already married!" I love his sweet innocence.
That was our point. He was getting it. David sinned. He did things that were "inappropriate" (their words). Yet, he was still knows as a man after God's own heart! I'm not quite sure they really got our point, but I think they might have at least heard what we were saying.
Sometimes we fight so hard to get points across to our kids. I think though that they hear us. They like to play devils advocate. However, when it comes to it, they hear us and they learn from us. So keep teaching them. Don't get warn out. Parenting is tough. I'm not sure that was the point I was going with when I started this post, but I do want to encourage you. Search for signs that they are listening. Because I promise you they are!