15 Jul Different Kids are Just Different
Romans 15:1 – We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
How many of you have tried to raise just one kid and gotten pretty haughty that this whole parenting thing is pretty easy? On the other hand, how many of you have raised your first kid and thought “Ok this is pretty easy” …until the next kid comes along and what worked with the first one doesn’t work with the second or third one.
In a good, healthy family, parents have a way of doing certain things that pertains to all their children – put your pajamas on, eat your dinner, don’t sass your mom. Then, there are other things that are tailored to each individual kid based on their personalities, talents, strengths, and weaknesses. For the one who’s more organized, you probably don’t even need to ask them if they did their homework. For another kid, you may need to check in more for them to even make it through kindergarten.
God is a Father, we’re His sons and daughters, and we, as Christians, are a family. God has some rules for all of us, what I call closed-handed issues, or national borders if you read yesterday’s devo – things that we all need to believe in order to be Christians. He also has specific rules for each of us based on our talents, strengths, and convictions, what I call state borders or open-handed issues. As fellow believers and brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to be understanding and, oftentimes, make accommodations for each other as people who are stronger or weaker in various areas. That’s how we can do healthy life together.
If you’re a parent or aspire to be a parent, what parenting rules can you take away from this passage? Or as a brother or sister in Christ, how can you accommodate your fellow believer in different “open-handed issues”?
To find the free Romans 12-16 digital study guide for individuals and small groups, hear Pastor Mark’s entire sermon series on Romans, or find a free mountain of Bible teaching visit legacy.realfaith.com or download the Real Faith app.
