These words ring extremely true now that I am a Mama to a sweet but feisty little girl. She is bound and determined to do life her way, which is well and fine when she is being well behaved. However, the days she chooses to do wrong and to disobey, I'm the one frazzled and on my last nerve. I dish out godly discipline through stern but respectful words anchored in God's truth. Sometimes, I get through to my girl and the times she's just had it, I let her collect herself in a timeout (sometimes I need the timeout more than she does to collect myself and my wits). As a Mama, I go through all this with her because I love her so much and want God's very best for her. Yes, I could choose to appease my girl and let her do whatever she wanted to make her happy. Let me say clearly and truthfully, appeasement is not real love though it masquerades as such. It might feel like the loving thing to do to make your child happy. Truly though, your child is not happy, just miserable because no one would want to be around him or her. He or she might even begin to dislike who he or she is. My Mama heart rebels against this lie because I have grounded myself in God's truth, and I have experienced His gentle but firm discipline in my life. I know the blessing that godly discipline brings, and I utterly want that richness of blessing for my daughter. I love her so and can't fail her by choosing appeasement. I rest in knowing that I am lavishing God's true love upon her.
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