April 23, 2021
“Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds.” (James 1:2)
Over a drink with two other dads, the conversation turned to children and disappointment. Not disappointment in our children, but our children experiencing their own disappointments. No parent likes to see his or her child suffer, or fail, or flounder. But the earlier a child is disabused of an entitled attitude, the better. The sooner a child learns that “life is not fair”, the better.
Ultimately, the sooner a child realizes that God is our true source of strength throughout the ups and downs of life, the better. Parents can’t manufacture that kind of faith in God for their children, but they can pray!
“God our Father, you see your children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you, and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (For Young Persons – BCP p. 829)
