Part 2: Rebellion

“Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.”

Luke 15:13-14

The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). This includes our children! Acknowledging that they are sinful creatures, will mess up, and will do it aptly, quickly, and often, can encourage us. First, because we realize it’s never going to be picture-perfect, and we can stop expecting it, and them, to be. Jesus is the One who was perfect, and the One whose perfection gets credited to us. Second, because we understand that the most loving thing we can do — if we truly believe sin is bondage — is to correct it and point them back to God’s truth from Scripture. I may be alone in this, but I have felt guilty for having high standards of behavior for my kids; however, the Bible teaches us that obedience is good and beautiful, and training our kids to love to obey from a young age sets them up for more joy later in life.

1. Without exposing your kids, what are some of the sin patterns with which you have struggled in your home?
2. How can we differentiate between defiance and development? In other words, when are they being disobedient and letting sin rule, and when is it innocent, healthy behavior for their age?
3. How are you guiding your children through learning about the sinfulness of others and the world?
4. What are some of the Scriptures you use or teach your children to use to combat sin?