(originally posted on Yahoo!360 December 18, 2006)As parents, my husband and I always emphasize the "heart attitude" every time we discipline or teach our sons, especially our almost-6-yr-old who understands more than the 2-yr-old does. We tell them that to obey is to show love to Mommy and Daddy. He responded to me one time by saying, "But I don't want to love you!"
Aren't we the same as adults? Most of the time we don't admit it like our Jojo does. We know exactly what we need to do in obedience to God's Word but we deliberately disobey him. "But I don't want to love you, God. I want to love ME now and give ME what I want."
During Sunday School hour in our home church yesterday, our teacher spoke on the book of John, chapter 14. Verse 21 says, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me..." Our teacher then explained that obedience is showing love. Obedience must come from a heart that is willing to follow and demonstrate that love.
"Jojo, what is obedience again? Obedience is doing what you're told to do, when you're told to do it, with a happy heart attitude." We're still in the works... and for the most part our boys are really sweet. Many times Jojo obeys because he's afraid to get in trouble like being sent to his room for time-out, or loose a privilege, or get spanking. This morning, this issue came up again. And we discussed immediate obedience with a happy heart attitude AGAIN... not with a lousy attitude. Whew! I trust the Lord that someday he'll get it. Ha ha! For now, God entrusted us with his little life and his still tender heart. We just want to be faithful parents... showing our love for the Lord through our obedience in disciplining and teaching our children.
"If you love Me, keep My commandments." John 14:15
