Day 23

Scripture focus: He (a youth) was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. Proverbs 7:8-9 NIV

Some parenting philosophies suggest that we protect our children, teaching them to avoid corners where temptation lurks. Pete and I haven’t really ascribed to this theory. Our fasciculous retroflexeses are in working order (that neurological super speedy highway between the mid-brain the prefrontal cortex which helps us think about cause and effect, delayed gratification, etc.) and that means that although we seriously considered chaining our children to their bedposts until they were thirty in order to avoid evil doing, we feared that this would leave them with a limited sense of freedom. Frankly, we were afraid that once we cut them loose they would go no farther than the kitchen, maybe the den. We really didn’t want to be cleaning up ramon noodle wrappers each morning or picking up empty Cheerwine bottles off the coffee table when our kids were old enough to apply for Social Security.

Lapses in judgment, symptoms of unwellness, relationship malfunctions and all the other “isms” that plague us often start as normal, developmental responses to life stress. Often our symptoms are a treatment strategy for avoiding pain and suffering.

Growing up with require that we get serious about facing our problems; faith provides us a framework to do so that is both hopeful and healing.

Clearly, all children will one day walk down the street. Maybe it will be at twilight, as the dark of night is setting in. They will feel lonely, and in need of companionship. They will feel tempted to seek the comfort that is available and inviting. Delaying gratification, trusting God to provide, might be concepts best embraced in the light. Darkness clouds the vision. They will have some choices to make, and it will be most helpful if they have a real sense of community to reach out to…..or should I say “we”?

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