“Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’” Matthew 5:37 NKJV
Raising daughters has taught me the reality of Matthew 5:37! If they have room to wiggle in a maybe, my daughters will relentlessly pursue a yes, like wiggling that first baby tooth loose! Or they will assume a ‘yes,’ which is a dangerous tendency we all have to misinterpret a maybe. Growing up, my daughters and I spent much time together while my husband worked long hours. Over the years, we’ve even dubbed ourselves ‘the three musketeers.’ Our closeness has made telling them ‘No’ all the much more complicated. When they are in danger as toddlers and littles, it’s easy to conjure up a firm ‘no.’ But as they age, the crocodile tears start to stream and cause even the most astute and wise mom to question their own ‘no.’ I’ve learned to stand firm in the ‘no’ moments, even if I am not sure I’m making the right call. “Your job is to listen to me,” I tell them, “If I’m wrong, God will deal with me.”
3. Consistency
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide me Me.” John 15:4 NKJV
The Gospel of John and these words of Jesus, he recorded, have been rocks of wisdom that hold the corners of my life in place. I’ve only raised daughters, so I can only speak from that angle, but it sure seems like girls have a lot of emotions to work out in life. I think, as women, we are constantly reigning in our astute sensitivity and empathy for the world around us and the people we’ve been blessed to keep watch over. In a world full of parenting books, ever-changing methods, and psychiatric philosophies as each generation emerges a little differently, I decided early on to hold the Author of all generations above all else consistently. I read parenting books, listened to podcasts, and sought counsel from Christ-centered sources. In conversations with other moms and wise parents who had gone and were going before me, I took everything back to the Lord to ask Him if it was right. Seeking His opinion was something I chose to make a priority from the start.
‘Mother with two teen daughters hugging’ photo credit: ©GettyImages/Rawpixel
