The Parable of the Wise and Loving Parent

The big day has arrived. Your son has just turned 6 and you arrange to give him an exciting birthday party in the back yard. 

During the games and activities your child makes a real pest of himself. He is a poor loser when someone else wins a competition. He has to have the first piece of cake going around, and the biggest piece at that. He shows extreme displeasure with some of the presents he has been given. He is a pain and is beginning to arouse anger and frustration in his guests. The party is ready to explode.

Do you leave him continue this way, and risk ruining the party, and worse still, risk losing all his friends?

Of course not.

You quietly take him from the yard and give him some time out in his room where others can't see him and where he can not make things any worse, for himself or for his friends.

Were you angry with your son? Most definitely.

Did you still love your son? Most definitely.

So, what will you do next?

After a certain length of time, you visit your son, help him understand what has been happening and its present and possible future consequences, and help him change his attitude and future behaviour and to see the potential benefits that would come from these changes. 

Those changes would also have the benefit of removing your anger and being reconciled to your son, moving on in harmony with him.

God watched on as his children behaved badly in the days of Noah. He loved them, yet was angry with their behaviour. He decided to remove them from the earth and give them some time out in hades, where others couldn't see them.

Was God angry with them? Did He make a judgement about their behaviour? Did He destroy them, remove them from the earth? Did He place them in hades? Did He love them? Did He visit them later in their room, in hades? Did He talk to them about how things could be better for them in the future?

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

If we can do these things well as sinful, earthly parents, how much better is God as the most loving parent of all at restoring his wayward and badly behaving children and having them lead a life that is pleasing and reconciled to Him?

Blessings, Barry