Hope in a fallen world
Genesis 8:21: The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done" (NIV).
The story of Noah provides a great example of God demonstrating both His truth and His love. God hates sin, and the wickedness of the pre-flood world required His judgment (truth). But, because Noah was faithful and obedient, God demonstrated His love by saving his family from the flood (love). Noah's first act after coming out of the ark was to worship God by offering a sacrifice. He had seen God's power and righteousness, but he also knew that He was loving and worthy of worship.
Man is still inclined to do evil, and God continues to be both righteous and loving. He allows us to suffer the consequences of disobedience, but offers forgiveness and reconciliation through Jesus Christ.
Our challenge is to follow God's example and strike a balance between truth and love in our parenting. We tend to emphasize one over the other, but both are needed. We do this by holding our kids accountable for disobedience while being calm and consistent in our discipline.
Our parenting should reflect God's truth and love.
