Relationship Priorities:<\/p>\n
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\nThis gets quite sticky and murky for some people, but it doesn\u2019t have to be. God created things in life to be in a certain order. If we stay in that order, we find peace that passes all understanding. If we don\u2019t, we find constant strife and can\u2019t figure out why. Well, let me explain why\u2026
\nOur relationships should be in this order:<\/p>\n
1- God
\n2- Spouse
\n3- Children
\n4- Church family
\n5- Everyone else<\/p>\n
The problem is simple. We get these out of order based on something someone did or didn\u2019t do. Most of us find ourselves putting #3 ahead of the first 2. \u201cBut I have to be here for the kids first. Hubby don\u2019t like it, he\u2019s got to go!\u201d That\u2019s a problem. Huge problem. But it\u2019s very common. There is an epidemic of kids growing up thinking they are much more amazing than they are. That merely being born entitles them to rights above anyone else. They are living with the belief that the world has short changed them because it\u2019s nothing like what mom and dad said it would be. We see a growing number of kids that are questioning and disrespecting authority with no reason. They have no regard for any authority figure. Sometimes it\u2019s because their authority figure is really their friend\u2026oops, I said it. What I\u2019ve found is that often times, the parents don\u2019t realize they are in error until it\u2019s too late. They don\u2019t want to raise an irreverent kid, but it\u2019s happening. They don\u2019t want to raise a kid that can\u2019t take care of themselves, but a 30 year old had to be kicked out of his parents\u2019 house\u2026 by a judge. So for those that are wondering if you\u2019re getting it right as a parent, God gives us many ways to tell.<\/p>\n
My mom always said she never wanted to raise a child that no one wanted to be around. She succeeded in trying with all 4 boys but unfortunately, I\u2019m not a highly sought after guy. Haha. But what I was taught will stick around forever. My dad once grabbed me and literally threw me out the front door and said, \u201cDon\u2019t come back until you learn how to talk to my wife!\u201d What stuck out was that he didn\u2019t called her mom, or by her name. He called her \u201cmy wife.\u201d That sent the message that she was more important than I was. She came before me. I apparently needed to hear that.<\/p>\n
When a child knows he or she is first, they live in a place of (false) authority that was never granted by God. This improper placement of authority causes them to say and do things that are not in line with God\u2019s design for children. But when they know they are 3rd after God and mom\/dad, they begin to know their place. Their place is NOT the center of our universe. Their place is to learn to obey, love, and honor\u2026in that order. Notice I said obey first. If they\u2019re taught to obey, they will know how to love and honor. As adults, God requires obedience from us that seems impossible at times. How can they be prepared for that if we don\u2019t teach it to them as kids?<\/p>\n
This one\u2019s tough, but has to be said again- You are NOT called to be your children\u2019s friend. You were called by God to be a good steward over what is God\u2019s. To teach, instill, and prepare them to \u201cleave mother and father and cleave to each other\u201d. Regardless of how backwards this sounds, if children are given boundaries (discipline), they feel safe, even though they are crying because they didn\u2019t get their way. If they see that mom and dad are together on issues, there is large place of protection that they are aware of but don\u2019t know how to communicate that. Not only do they not know how to communicate it, they test it to make sure it\u2019s strong. If they see that they really aren\u2019t that important…that mommy and daddy come before them, they will learn obedience, God\u2019s order, true love, and it will prepare them to know the heart of God and be successful in their relationships in the future. He created everything to bring us closer to Him. This can\u2019t happen if we\u2019re shifting relationship priorities around.<\/p>\n
Now I understand the things that happen. \u201cMy husband is abusive.\u201d Or \u201cmy wife is an alcoholic\u2026so I put all my effort in to someone who loves me unconditionally. Makes sense to me.\u201d But it doesn\u2019t make sense to God. Paul said \u201cI die to myself daily\u201d. What makes sense to God is to put all your effort in mending the marriage relationship FIRST. Out of that restoration, the children will flourish. But not until then. If you shift your focus that belongs on your marriage over to your children, you have placed a burden on them that they can\u2019t handle\u2026that they shouldn\u2019t handle. Worse yet, if you place God second to anyone, you have walked right out of God\u2019s order and the blessings cease. Please understand that by blessings, I don\u2019t mean money. God\u2019s not limited to money. I mean that when you need peace under pressure, when you need something to lift you up over a storm that you can\u2019t handle, you have no idea where to turn\u2026because you walked out of God\u2019s favor, blessing, and order. But, when God is first, your spouse is second and your children are 3rd, and when those times come, you will know how to handle them because \u201cthe steps of the righteous are ordered.\u201d This is a lot easier to say than it is to do, but it needs to happen.<\/p>\n
We (starting with me) have to understand our proper roles in raising children and always remember that YOU ARE TEACHING THEM IN EVERYTHING YOU DO AND DON\u2019T DO. They are always learning from you. Whether you realize it or not. If my daughters cried for something as a small child, they immediately forfeited their right to it solely based on the fact that they cried for it. If they asked politely, they got it almost every time. The times that they didn\u2019t receive it, most of the time, they were explained why and they understood, most of the time. They were learning early on that crying for something was the wrong way to go about it. As a result, I feel as though I have well-adjusted girls that understand that everything I do or don\u2019t do is out of love and God\u2019s order. If this spoke to you, feel free to share. It\u2019s meant to encourage, not condemn.<\/p>\n
Stay Classy, GP (God\u2019s People).<\/p>\n
Grainger<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Relationship Priorities: This gets quite sticky and murky for some people, but it doesn\u2019t have to be. God created things in life to be in a certain order. If we stay in that order, we find peace that passes all understanding. If we don\u2019t, we find constant strife and can\u2019t figure out why. Well, let … <\/p>\n