Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death. Proverbs 19:18

I don’t have children but I observe. A lot.

Here’s one thing I have noticed about children and their parents: even when you raise your kids in God-fearing homes there’s no guarantee that they will walk the straight and narrow when they are older. Does it mean they will all be like that? Of course not. Kids grow up and are free to make choices, often choices that their parents do not approve of.

But, the principle still holds: if you discipline your children, the odds of them turning out well are in your favor.

As I write this there are parents reading this who are beating themselves up over how their kids turned out. You are appalled at their behavior and certainly don’t approve of what they are now into. Continue to pray for them. Continue to keep the line of communications open. The poor decisions they are now making as young adults are not your fault. Stop beating yourself up over it.

Let me put it another way: when you make poor choices, does God sit up in heaven and fret over them because He was a bad “parent?” Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? Of course He doesn’t. He wants you to choose well, but we have free choice and sometimes we make some bone-headed decisions.