Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. ~ Ephesians 6:4This verse has not been very comforting to me but more frustrating and perplexing. I mean I try to bring my kids up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, but I seem to upset them and cause them to get angry frequently. I don't want to provoke them, but the latter exasperates them.
???!?!?
But, the other day it hit me. Maybe Paul wasn't talking about immediate cause and effect but over time, decades even.
I've seen this to be true.
Instead of feeding their sense of entitlement and selfishness which will likely lead to anger and bitterness later on in their lives, what if I consistently disciplined and taught the ways of the Lord? What if I gave them quality time versus giving in to their constant demands for stuff?
God-willing, the fruit will come eventually just not right away.
