The 10 and 2 Position

A couple of weeks ago I listened the podcast of a message by Ben Applebee at Watermark OC Church. Watermark OC had a series on Legacy and Ben wrapped up the series with Biological Legacy. I pray you’ll take the opportunity to check out Ben’s message, if not the whole four part Legacy series. Ben’s portion of the series walks us through the biological and spiritual raising up of our kids, at home and at church, to reach the Christ shaped outcome of a discipled life.

In Biological Legacy, Ben mentioned “helicopter parents,” and provided a video illustration, the 2015 Hyundai Genesis commercial, “Dad’s Sixth Sense“, that is hilarious! While the dad in the commercial is able to snatch his son from imminent harm throughout his time-lasped-years growing up, “Helicopter parents” are those parents who have only five senses so they over protect and over save and ultimately under prepare their children to be real adults who are able to navigate our real world.

The commercial illustration actually reminded me of the time my son was just learning to walk. I was sitting on the edge of the bed in our master bedroom and my son was walking to me. Big smile on his face, mirroring the proud, excited smile on mine. As he came within arm’s distance from me he tripped and fell, and I didn’t react fast enough. When I lifted him up from hitting his head on the metal bed frame, him screaming and me hurting along with him, I saw the gash on his forehead that I knew would need stitches–eight to be exact.

I have the very same feelings telling that story today as I had when it happened–heartbreak for his heartbreak, my own heartbreak, and GUILT FOR DAYS! The “what-if’s” still run through my mind, but I have always known that I wouldn’t always be able to catch or wouldn’t be there to catch my son when he fell. That’s one of the toughest aspects of being a parent, even tougher than the things you think you could or should have been able to control (or in my case, catch).

Like our relationship with God The Father, we are not in control. Just the same, though our relationship with God is our choice, He doesn’t control us. We have free will whether we’re in control or give Him the steering wheel. And though parents have their hands at the 10 and 2 position of their children’s steering wheel, the roads are icy, have pot holes, are unpaved, and no matter if we turn into the skid or finesse the wheel to avoid danger, a kid’s going to do what a kid’s going to do even if it means crashing into the guardrail.

Father God shows up (actually He is with us before, during and after we wrap our car around the guardrail) and rescues us, but He doesn’t live our life for us. And though He rescues, there are real life consequences.

If we as parents are consistent (Deuteronomy 6:6-7/Proverbs 22:6) and never afraid to show that we are mere flesh and bones, but lead, parent, then we provide our children a base for “success.” God showed us His flesh and bones through His Son. Jesus modeled His Father’s desires for us, His children, for “success.” Its up to all who know Jesus to model Him so God get’s what He desires, and so do we. Sure, we fail in weakness at times, but if we simply cry, “Abba! Father!,” He is faithful to hear.

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” Romans 8:16-17

Peace and joy,
Steve

twitter/instagram @stevedubu1

(Ben Applebee is pastor for The Garage ministry (students, grades 7-12) at Watermark OC Church in Costa Mesa, California. Ben has a young family and is an super positive bundle of joy and energy for Jesus, and is blessed with knowledge and wisdom beyond his years. I wanted to highlight his work in honor of those like Ben who come along side parents each Sunday, Wednesday night, at youth camp, “like a father with his children,” to exhort and encourage each one “to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” A shout out to Mark Jackson (aka that’s @MrMarkJackson to you, Steve) who is Youth Pastor at Pacific Church in Irvine, CA and blogs out of Equipped for Christ; and to Kenny Conley (@kennyconley) the NextGen Pastor at Gateway Church in Austin, TX, who has an amazing resource, Children’s Ministry Online; and last but NOT least, Stan Lake, who has a wonderful and unique ministry for young and old alike through Catching Creation, though I think our youth may connect in more ways with @Stan_Lake than older, squeamish crowds. Each of these men and so many women and men like them across the country bless our children with sound teaching, prayer and love in Jesus Christ. Please remember to keep your own youth pastor in prayer and let them know they are valued.)