Parenting Tips

So you must submit to [governing authorities], not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

Romans 13:5

As parents, we could be considered “governing authorities.” There were times when Mark and I had to say no to things our teenage daughter, Kali, was invited to do. She wasn’t always happy about it, because “everyone else is doing it.” Still, we believed some of those things could have put Kali in a compromising situation.

Since I constantly felt like a brand-new mother in every stage of Kali’s development, I was grateful to know God because I needed His help and His wisdom.

It finally dawned on me while spending time in God’s Word how to explain saying no to certain requests. My boundaries and standards did not necessarily have anything to do with our daughter and her choices while under our roof, but they had to do with me and my respect and love for God. As my perfect parent, God cares for me. And just as Kali needed to submit to my parental authority, I had to submit to God’s authority! God picked me to be Kali’s mother, and I took my responsibility seriously.

I could not allow her to do something against my own conscience without disobeying God. I wanted to obey God because I love Him. Even as an imperfect parent, I wanted to honor God by listening to and obeying Him.

Lo and behold, when I shared this simple truth with her that the issue really wasn’t about her but about me answering to the God I love, she understood and stopped insisting . . . until the next invitation came along.

Of course, I was glad that there were many opportunities to say yes to Kali, too, but when that familiar unrest and lack of peace pounded my heart, I could hear God’s voice in my soul through His Word. I gained courage to keep a clear conscience.

Whether you are a parent or not, keep a clear conscience and honor God in everything. Enjoying His grace and peace feels good in any situation! Is there something that has been nagging you that needs to be taken care of?