Father knows best

A father asked me, “I just don’t understand my son; he can be so stubborn. He has an opinion about everything and in his mind he is never wrong and will argue with anyone who disagrees. What am I to do with him?” Perhaps you know someone like that, or maybe you might admit that this father’s son sounds a lot like you. I wish I knew what to say to this father; the fact is I’m still learning how to raise a teenage son myself. Sometimes parenting requires on the job training; we do our best and when necessary ask for forgiveness.

One thing I have learned over the years is that I can learn a lot as a parent from watching how God deals with His children. Our heavenly Father is the perfect parent, but His kids are anything but perfect (I’m one so I should know). I may not always understand why God disciplines us as He does, or why the Lord responds in certain ways, but if I look to God for wisdom then He will help me to be a better parent.

When God called Isaiah as a prophet, Isaiah saw the Lord seated upon His throne in heaven. Amidst the perfection that Isaiah saw, he became aware of his own sin and confesses it to the Lord. God then cleanses Isaiah and gives him a message for the people of Israel. In this message I see how our heavenly Father responds to His children who are stubborn know-it-alls.

• [9] And he said, "Yes, go. But tell my people this: 'You will hear my words, but you will not understand. You will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning.' [10] Harden the hearts of these people. Close their ears, and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn to me for healing."
  Isaiah 6:9-10 (NLT)

God, the perfect parent, knows that He can’t force His children to listen to His instruction. With hardened hearts God kids will sometimes ignore their heavenly Father in much the same way that our kids seem to have every word we say go in one ear and out the other. How does God respond to their stubbornness? He doesn’t shout louder; He doesn’t argue with them or try to prove that He knows what He is talking about.

God does something I don’t fully understand; God hardens their hearts and blinds their eyes. In other words God makes stubborn children even more obstinate!

Perhaps God knows the best teacher is experience; that only as He releases His children to go their own stubborn way will they ever have the chance to repent. That’s what the father did for the prodigal son. It’s a hard thing to do, but maybe our heavenly Father knows best.