Conejo Adventist^® Elementary School

September 23, 2021
 
Last Friday, a topic came to my mind and I was sure that would fill this space today. However, 6th grade Bible class sent me in a different direction this week. We are learning about the prophets in the Old Testament and I was struck by how parenting is so like the job of those long-ago prophets. 
 
Our class has been focusing on the four types of messages delivered by the prophets; warnings, instructions, the future, and finally messages of encouragement. Sounds like a parent to me except maybe the telling of the future. (However, I think parents are often good at predicting the future of our children’s lives.) Our other focus was on how long the prophets continued to deliver God’s messages, even though the people most often didn’t listen or change their ways. Yep, most definitely like a parent. Don’t touch that. Choose your friends wisely. Hey, don’t touch that. Someday you’ll thank me. Stop, don’t touch that. You can achieve your goal. What did I just say? Please don’t touch that…We deliver the messages. Do our children listen? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. 
 
Maybe it is just me, but I get tired of repeating myself, especially when my child didn’t listen the first or second or even the third time. But, I’m a parent. It is my job to continually deliver warnings, instructions, and encouragement to my kids. I love my own children and my school children, so I’ll never stop repeating myself if it means I could save my children some pain or heartache or improve their future. Being a parent is not for the weak. Our job never ends, our messages just change over the years. 
 
Be of strong courage parents. 
 
But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:7 NIV