Parenting by Design - April 8

Extending grace

Rom. 8:1-2: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Jesus Christ the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death (NIV).

What incredible words! Although we may understand them on an intellectual level, it can still be hard for us to accept God's grace. Often, we try to be "good enough" because we can't seem to separate our value from our performance.

To appreciate what Christ did for us on the cross, we have to be honest about the depth of our sin. This is painful—but once we have truly experienced the extent of God's grace, we can extend it to our children in a life-changing way. Knowing we are all sinners in need of grace, we can allow them to experience the consequences of their choices without condemning who they are as people. 

Follow God's example of grace by offering unconditional love for the sinner while delivering consequences for the sin.