What to Do When Your Child Is a Prodigal
Miles Seaborn
Luke 15:11-31
INTRO. I noticed some years ago a pattern when dealing with parents and children. (Let me hasten to day, nobody has all the answers). The more I counsel therefore, I'm learning I don't have all the answers. The only thing I know for sure is what God's Word says, and I'm learning to stand on it more than what I think. It comes out a whole lot better.
Some parents have three children, and one turns out bad or they have four and two go astray. They come from godly homes, raised in the same circumstances, same principles and environment, yet to the wrong way. Parents have done the best they could (not perfect, but who is?) Not hypocrites, ''really walking the walk.'' Yet children become prodigal.
What is a prodigal - extravagant - a waster, foolish spending!
When I see that happen in the life of a family I ask, ''Lord, what happened? These folks have prayed, and loved and chastised and encouraged and yet, three are right, one has gone off. Two are right, one went wrong. One right/one wrong. What happened?''
In the past years, I had a tendency to blame the parents, but God has given me other insights through the years!
We are living in the midst of tremendous pressure! Last year 1,000,000 children left home (some were abused, etc.), yet many of these left homes where the parents were doing everything they could to be good parents! Grandparents were supportive, yet the young person became a prodigal! So what do we do? What is the trouble? We try to fix the problem on everyone else.
ILL. of the 7th grader, came home from school with report card. Didn't pass a single subject. ''Why, son, you failed every subject! We want an explanation! Boy replied nearly everybody else in the whole room failed just like I did. Well, what about that Smith boy. What did he do? He made all A's, but he's got smart parents.''
It is so easy to pass the blame to someone else if you want to, but some of ...
Miles Seaborn
Luke 15:11-31
INTRO. I noticed some years ago a pattern when dealing with parents and children. (Let me hasten to day, nobody has all the answers). The more I counsel therefore, I'm learning I don't have all the answers. The only thing I know for sure is what God's Word says, and I'm learning to stand on it more than what I think. It comes out a whole lot better.
Some parents have three children, and one turns out bad or they have four and two go astray. They come from godly homes, raised in the same circumstances, same principles and environment, yet to the wrong way. Parents have done the best they could (not perfect, but who is?) Not hypocrites, ''really walking the walk.'' Yet children become prodigal.
What is a prodigal - extravagant - a waster, foolish spending!
When I see that happen in the life of a family I ask, ''Lord, what happened? These folks have prayed, and loved and chastised and encouraged and yet, three are right, one has gone off. Two are right, one went wrong. One right/one wrong. What happened?''
In the past years, I had a tendency to blame the parents, but God has given me other insights through the years!
We are living in the midst of tremendous pressure! Last year 1,000,000 children left home (some were abused, etc.), yet many of these left homes where the parents were doing everything they could to be good parents! Grandparents were supportive, yet the young person became a prodigal! So what do we do? What is the trouble? We try to fix the problem on everyone else.
ILL. of the 7th grader, came home from school with report card. Didn't pass a single subject. ''Why, son, you failed every subject! We want an explanation! Boy replied nearly everybody else in the whole room failed just like I did. Well, what about that Smith boy. What did he do? He made all A's, but he's got smart parents.''
It is so easy to pass the blame to someone else if you want to, but some of ...
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