Just do whatever you want?

“Just do whatever you want.” Did you ever hear your parents say this to you? No? Yeah, me neither. Unless, of course, it was out of a frustrated, last resort, attempt at reverse psychology. Not sure if that ever worked, though.

I find it interesting how we often underestimate the value of parental direction in our lives. Certainly, when we were growing up we didn’t appreciate it too much. But looking back, in retrospect, we can be thankful for it. Here’s a shout out to Mom, “Thanks for not letting me put my hand on the hot stove…..oh, and that ‘not running with scissors’ was a pretty good idea too.” Those parents sometimes knew what they were talking about. Unfortunately, we sometimes learned this too late in life, and for some of us, we had to learn some things the hard way. In our hubris, at such a young age, we often had the audacity to think, “What do you know? Just because you’ve been on this planet several decades longer than me, and have the value of countless negative experiences to learn from, I think I’ll handle this on my own.” So, we trounce off in our ignorance only to learn that they might have had a valid point. Then, in frustration, we shake our fist in the air saying, “How do they know all this stuff?” And often the hardest part can be admitting that they were right.

The reality is, we usually had the wrong perspective on our parent’s instructions back then. Our first thought was usually, “You’re just trying to ruin my fun. I think you actually know how much fun it can be to jump off the roof, wearing a cape, and pretending I’m Superman.” Of course, the reality was, their shrieks of horror, in witnessing our recklessness, were actually a legitimate response. They knew the fun would soon end when we landed, resulting in a trip to the emergency room from a broken arm. And so the proper perspective usually unfolds with the passage of time.

What I wonder, though, is why our first response was often one of suspicion? We didn’t seem to realize our parent’s innate concern for our welfare. Our first thought wasn’t usually, “Oh, they’re just looking out for my well-being.” Maybe it’s because we underestimated their love and concern for us. We learn this later when we have a better understanding of life. We certainly learn it fully when we become parents ourselves. This is when we come full circle and our own rules and regulations develop an alliance with good ol’ Mom and Dad. We hear their reprimands to us echoing back through time and we’re thinking, “Preach it Mom and Dad.” Our own shouts of instruction display that our understanding have come to full fruition.

I suppose this is the main idea. We often overestimate our own view of things and underestimate a higher, or more seasoned perspective. That’s the value of perspective, I guess.

…Let’s go deeper

When we consider our reaction to our parent’s direction we don’t realize that this is often our response to God’s direction in our lives. This was definitely the case with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. When we look at how it all began, it bears a similar resemblance to today. Not much has changed has it? In the last part of Genesis 3:11 God says, …Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?” Adam and Eve had just disobeyed God’s instruction not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Looking at God’s response to Adam it sounds a lot like Mom and Dad reprimanding us doesn’t it? Eve had been deceived, though, by the Serpent in the Garden. Earlier in the same chapter the Serpent says in Genesis 3:5: “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” See, the devil was trying to convince her that God was just trying ruin their fun.

Similarly, like we didn’t understand our parental instruction as kids, we often don’t understand God’s instructions to us, or their importance. We can easily tend to think, like that child who finds his parent’s instruction suspect, that God is just trying to kill our fun. Can you imagine, though, if God were to just say to us, “Just do whatever you want.” That wouldn’t be the picture of a loving parent, would it? Isaiah 55:8 says, “For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” Many times we don’t understand why God doesn’t want us to do certain things, or why He wants us to do certain things. We can be assured, though, that He only has our welfare in mind.

Impotence happens to a person only when he faces an unusual that is lesser viagra 100mg pfizer amount of blood supply to the penile district of men which is really a gainful to show signs of improvement sex. It is believed that this chemical lessens the cGMP best pharmacy viagra component for accomplishing and keeping up an erection. Nonetheless, this impact is incredibly exaggerated if brought with nitrate medicine, which is endorsed for angina (midsection torment). unica-web.com purchase generic cialis when joined together with any nitrate based solutions or antihypertensives. Talking openly cialis 20mg australia unica-web.com about the condition can help the couple to lower their level of stress and enhance the normal well-being. God’s instructing us isn’t something to be suspicious of, it’s actually a sign of His love for us and wanting a good future for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” The emphasis here is that God only wants good in our lives. It’s when we veer off in our own direction that we get into trouble, and like a loving parent, God may have to instruct us to get us back on track.

Proverbs 3:11 says, “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:” Though we may not like it, God may have to discipline us at times. It’s important that we remember to see this in the proper light. Just like our parents were only trying to steer us in the right direction, likewise, God is trying to do the same with us.

We need to remember that God placing limits on our lives aren’t limiting, but freeing. Keeping us from doing whatever we want, and instead allowing us to do as we ought is God’s plan for us. This is God’s perspective.

Genesis 3:11 God says, …Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?”

Proverbs 3:11 says, “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:”