Jane, a ninth grader, was...
Illustration
Jane, a ninth grader, was riding in the car with her father. They were talking about Marie, a friend of Jane, who seemed headed for big trouble. Marie and her boyfriend were sexually active. She had been experimenting with drugs. Marie and her parents were, as one might anticipate, continually at odds.
"Marie just doesn't seem to understand," Jane explained, "that her parents are not trying to make her life miserable. They are really concerned for her. They have her best interests at heart. If only she listened to them. I remember last year when I was headed down that same road and you and Mom came down on my case. At first, I was angry with you, but then I realized that you were right. I needed to get my act together. You let me know that in no uncertain terms. I didn't appreciate it at the time, but I sure do now. I realized that you were showing your love for me by the discipline."
Jane's father nearly lost control of the car. Last year had been a very difficult time in their family. He and Jane's mother had, indeed, been very intentional about their discipline. They realized that if they hadn't gotten a handle on their daughter's behavior quickly, she might have been lost. He had not, however, ever expected her to thank her parents!"
Like that father who rejoiced in having his daughter back, so the Lord rejoiced at the changes in Israel.
-- Cueni
"Marie just doesn't seem to understand," Jane explained, "that her parents are not trying to make her life miserable. They are really concerned for her. They have her best interests at heart. If only she listened to them. I remember last year when I was headed down that same road and you and Mom came down on my case. At first, I was angry with you, but then I realized that you were right. I needed to get my act together. You let me know that in no uncertain terms. I didn't appreciate it at the time, but I sure do now. I realized that you were showing your love for me by the discipline."
Jane's father nearly lost control of the car. Last year had been a very difficult time in their family. He and Jane's mother had, indeed, been very intentional about their discipline. They realized that if they hadn't gotten a handle on their daughter's behavior quickly, she might have been lost. He had not, however, ever expected her to thank her parents!"
Like that father who rejoiced in having his daughter back, so the Lord rejoiced at the changes in Israel.
-- Cueni
