Authority, Am I in Charge or Not?

Who is in charge?

I remember saying that phrase a lot when my strong willed child was busy putting her own thoughts and actions into play. It got to a point that she would ask me when I left, "who's in charge"?

There is a lot of power in those words and it solves a multitude of issues when kids know.

Do our kids still know who is in charge?

It is obvious we live in a culture that pushes against authority and chooses to 'give up' their authority. We no longer see it as our job to be an authority figure to our kids. Nor we realize who 'is' in charge. We as parents are to blame as our kids are not sure who is in authority since we so eagerly pass on our God given role to schools, churches, T.V. and their peers.

Why do we allow others to raise the very children we would give our lives for? Who better to raise them than those of us who would die for them! We have left our children wandering what to believe and they must look for those standards on their own.

Do I really want my 3 year old to figure out the boundaries of the street? Or would I rather teach that boundary so he will be safe? Why do we see the need to let our teens walk the open streets of the internet or culture without us teaching them the boundaries?

• I think we see our failures and we feel have nothing to say.
  
• I think we are busy and believe someone else will do it better.
  
• I think we have believed the lie that they will figure it out on their own.
  
• I think we are tired and therefore only think of ourselves at the moment.
  
• I think we forget our children a sinner's heart and must be taught right.
  
• I think we run from place to place and decide to parent later.
• I think we have forgotten that there is a world that loves to live for itself not caring what it does to our children. Yes, Satan is alive and well and eager to teach our kids his ways.
  
• But most of all I think we have forgotten the role God has asked us to play.
  
  

  
  

Do we realize that God has specifically given us a task when we become a parent? Check out a few passages that give us that God given role…

• Genesis 18:19 "…so that he will direct his children and his household after him…"
  
• Proverbs 1:8-9 " Listen, my son, to your father's instruction…do not forsake your mother's teaching…"
  
• Proverbs 4:1-2 "Listen to your father's instruction…"
  
• Proverbs 6:20-23 "…keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teachings…"
  
• Proverbs 23:22 "Listen to your father…"
  
• Ephesians 6:1-4 "Children, obey your parent in the Lord, for this is right…"
  
• Colossians 3:20-21 "Children, obey our parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord…"
  

Are we taking care of business and caring for our children the way God has designed us to do so? I find as I remember what my role is I find strength and power to go the next day or onto the next child. Our children need us to stay on duty, keep up the front line, and be the ones in charge. Yes, they push but that is when we love them through the hard stuff and walk closer with them not push the problem out of our sight.

Parents, take heart! You have been given the authority to be the authority in your children's lives!