Inspirational article from Joanne Lowe

LISTEN TO THE CHILDREN

"And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart."

Luke 3: 49-51 King James Version

Jesus was obedient to his parents, but his mother remembered what He had said to them. Our children are to obey us, but we also need to listen to what they are saying to us.

A month or so ago, a mother told me that her son had told her that he didn’t feel good. However, his mother insisted that he go on to school. Within a couple of hours, the school called and told her to come get her son, that he was running a high fever and sick to his stomach.

Sometimes our children will test us to see how much they can get away with and then other times they are being genuine. We need to get to know our children so we will know when they are sincere. Yes, we clean up after them, cook for them, act as a chauffeur for their friends, but do we really know them?

Often a child is hesitant to go to his parents for fear of being ridiculed or disbelieved. If we tell our children on a consistent basis that we are too busy to listen to them when they want to talk to us, then they are not going to come to us again.

Dad, if your child comes to you and says that he or she needs to talk to you, shut off the television and give the child your full attention. Mother, stop baking and cleaning and listen to your child. The time we have with them is very short.

Joanne Lowe

December 18, 2005

joannelowe8@cox.net

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