A level playing field is “a situation in which everyone has a fair and equal chance of succeeding.” What is the level playing field when it comes to parents rearing children? Parents can be burdened heavily with fear of judgment by others on themselves and their children. That concern is often accompanied by a sense of inadequacy and failure, which produces shame. Psalm 71:1 (NKJV): “In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame.”
Shame is defined as “a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.” A parent’s shame on behalf of a child’s behavior, academia, or performance does not produce anything of value and serves as a distraction to the task at hand. There are so many variables in parenting that the only level playing field is in the knowledge and presence of our Heavenly Father. Isaiah 28:26 (NLT): “The farmer knows just what to do, for God has given him understanding.”
The parent knows because God gives them understanding. Personality and temperament of the child and the parent are all unique. Demands upon our time and finances are unique to each family. Whether there is encouragement and support from the outside is unique to each family. The relationship of a mother and father affect greatly a child’s performance and behavior. There are adoptions and illnesses. No one but God knows what is it to be you and raising the children He has given you to raise. Resolve and resilience come from those who know that God knows and His will is all that matters.
And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.
1 John 2:28 (NLT)
A summation of the love story given us in the Bible is that God knows everything about us, loves us anyway, and loves us too much to leave us that way. Galatians 1:10 (NLT): “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” In order to parent as God would have us, we must be a student of His Word and faithfully walk with Him, then the naysayers and finger pointers won’t have power over us and we can parent with resolve and resilience.
“This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:25-29 (NLT)
You have got this!
