"Obedience is the very best way
To show that you believe:
Doing exactly what the Lord commands,
Doing it happily.
Action is the key--do it immediately,
Joy you will receive!
Obedience is the very best way
To show that you believe."
Well that's just groovy if "the Lord" has been sending you clear messages written in the sky in three point outlines. I can't help but wonder if those three point outlines weren't actually the ones contained in editorial sermons and that was what we were supposed to be following exactly, immediately, and happily. It's a heck of a lot less abstract that way.
In my parenting, I'm kinda dropping the word "obey" from our discussion, at the very least for right now. It might be more for my frame of mind than for hers, I'm not sure yet. I just, personally, am not seeing where obedience is a useful adult skill. I working constantly on respect and gentleness. So a lot of "obeying" stuff falls into those for us. And I think a lot of the rest can be categorized as following instructions - I think that's an important adult skill for her. I want her to think independently. I think adults choose every day what rules they will obey and which ones they won't. I don't drive over 9 miles over the speed limit because it's not worth the consequences. I do indulge in buying raw milk. So this morning instead of saying, "I need you to obey." I said "I need you to follow these instructions right away." I'm not putting it out there as a parenting philosophy for everyone, I've never parented anyone other than my child, but I think this might work better for my baggage and for her need for very clear, non abstract language. And I'm not very stuck on the idea that the KJV (1611) uses the word "obey" or that my biggest parenting goal is to teach her to "obey" God.
I think, whatever God is, there is a lot more room for learning and feeling and nudging and responding and finding your "alignment with truth", and then following that - sniffing your way along, "Oops not that way, where did that track go? There it is, there it is!", than that song ever hinted.
I don't think that song was ever about God actually.
I think you are on the right track :)
ReplyDeleteObey is so rigid... Follow these directions sounds much better & doesn't trigger my inner child's "Fight" reflex :)
One of the things we do in our house is- instead of saying "Because I said so!" I'll reply "because I asked nicely," when someone asks "but WHY??" when I give a direction :)
It just sounds better than "Because I'm the mother- that's why!" lol (can you picture me stomping my foot and pouting here?)