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“Is That Your Wild Child? “
By Susanne Scheppmann
Key
Verse:
John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a
leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.” Mark 1:6
(NIV)
Devotion:
Do
you want to scream every time your daughter arrives sporting a new facial
piercing? Or does it hit a nerve when
see you see the newest florescent color of your son’s hair? How do you feel
about the skull and crossbones tattoo on your son’s muscular arm? Do you flinch
when your child, dressed in torn, ripped jeans, saunters into a room full of
conservative friends?
“Is
that your wild child?” asks the
wide-eyed church member. How do you respond?
Let’s relate our dilemma
back to Elizabeth in the Bible. Do you remember her?
Elizabeth bore a child
in her old age with her devout husband, Zacharias. (He was a Jewish priest).
Surely thoughts of the future captivated Elizabeth during the nine months of
pregnancy. Perhaps she mused, “The visions I have for this baby! The Lord God
has plans for this one. Of course, the priesthood already claims his future.
He’ll follow his daddy’s example. Tradition must be followed. The baby will be like his daddy—conservative
and reliable” The son of Elizabeth and
Zacharias grew up to be John the Baptist.
Let’s give an imaginary
interview to see how she might have responded about her own wild child.
As a mom, Elizabeth, how
did you cope when he began to eat locusts out in the desert? After all, his dad
made a good living. Your table never lacked for kosher delights. Did you fret
and plead with John?
“Yes, John was certainly a handful at times. His diet was
atrocious. I never did understand his taste for locusts. He could have the
finest of beef from the offerings! Of course I longed for John to conform to my
expectations. I thought I knew best! He
challenged not only my parenting skills, but also my faith.”
Elizabeth, did your
neighbors mention his strange garb? Did they ask, “Is that your son?" Or did they
whisper behind your back?
Did you cringe when John
would begin to speak? His outspoken words must have seemed harsh and rude when
John cried to the respected men of the community, “You brood of vipers! Who
warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” (Matthew 3:7 NIV)
“From his outward appearance not many would have guessed he
was a PK. (That would be “priest’s kid” in Israel.) Yet, even in my worry and distress over the
odd behavior, I knew John’s heart. Although he didn’t look the part of a PK, I
knew his relationship with God.”
Did the leaders look at
you with raised eyebrows and scowls of scorn? Did you buy him the Jewish
version of John Maxwell’s 21 Irrefutable
Laws of Leadership? Or did you encourage him to enroll in a course similar
to “How to Make Friends and Influence
People?”
With a wistful sigh Elizabeth replies, “At first, I did try
to defend him when others criticized his strange behaviors. Of course, I was
criticized too. From their viewpoint, I had not raised him in a godly manner.
Oh, those times hurt!”
Finally, Elizabeth, what
would you say to parents whose child doesn’t fit the “ideal” of a parent’s
expectations?
“Do not attempt to explain your child. Your child’s life is between him and God. Be
proud of your child. Whenever I was asked, ‘Is that your child?’ I would
answer, ‘Yes, that is my child!’”
Thank you,
Elizabeth. Thank you for this valuable
advice for parents of a wild child.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, despite my child’s appearance and
behavior help me to be proud of him/her. Grant me the ability to put aside
other people’s opinions and to know that You are watching over my wild child.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Application
steps:
Read
Luke 1 and Matthew 1. Imagine the
thoughts and emotions of Elizabeth. Compare
your thoughts about your child. Write
down every positive quality of your child and concentrate on the positives.
Reflections:
Why
does my child’s independence embarrass me?
How
does my reaction to my wild child influence him/her?
Power
verses:
1 Peter 2:9, “But ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye
should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into
his marvellous light.” (KJV)
Colossians 3:14, “Above all, clothe yourselves
with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (NLT)
© 2008 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.
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