"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve … But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15, NIV
"Unbelievable!" I thought to myself as I drove down the highway the other day. "If this guy in the car behind me gets any closer, I'm going to have to invite him over for dinner! I mean, I'm going the speed limit, but he thinks he's racing in the Indy 500! At first, I had just ignored the guy. Before I knew it, though, my pragmatic side was threatening to get the better of me: "Well, maybe I could go a few miles faster," I thought. "What's the difference? I mean, it's better than having this guy ride my back bumper all the way home!" Thankfully, he turned off before I had to make a decision.
Has this situation, or one like it, ever happened to you? If you live in even a semi-urban area, I'm sure it has. As Christians, we know that we have to obey the law and not set our own speed limit, but it's hard not to notice that other people on the road are driving like Jeff Gordon on a victory lap. And the worst part (for me, at least) is that they don't ever seem to get a ticket. You might be forgiven for thinking that going a little faster and pushing the limits isn't such a bad idea, but as Christians we still should do the right thing.
The rest of our lives can also follow this pattern. Most of us pray, read our Bibles, and go to church regularly. But we can't help but see non-Christians around us eating, drinking, and being merry — and it can be so tempting to go along. A little sin here and a little sin there. What's the difference?
SETTING LIMITS PROVIDES SECURITY
Testing the limits of our environment are in our nature as human beings. We want to drive just a dab over the speed limit. Children can feel the same about pushing the limits: they want to stay up longer, play one more game, or eat one more piece of candy.
PICK YOUR BATTLES! Decide as a parent what issues are important to you.
LIMITS PROVIDE A SENSE OF SECURITY. Some limits are non-negotiable. For example, sitting in the car seat, holding hands in the parking lot, and keeping our hands to ourselves keep us safe. Remind children of these limits often, and praise them when they behave appropriately.
LIMITS DEVELOP A MORAL COMPASS Limits can also support children as they learn what is appropriate in the “real world.” Such as teaching children that lying or stealing is inappropriate will prepare them for life outside the security of your home. If your child starts playing “verbal volleyball” with you when questioned about something, simply tell him, “Until you’re ready to tell me the truth, you can hang out in your room.” (Make sure you remove any entertainment items). We need to remember as adults who direct children’s lives, that limits give children the opportunity to take responsibility.
God has our best interests at heart, and he has told us in Scripture that all sin is destructive. When the temptation comes, think about Paul's words of encouragement: "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Cor. 10:13).
