90. Practical Behavioral Standards 1: Peaceful
Titus 1:5-6 An elder must be…a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. NIV
One of the qualifications for a pastor or elder is that their children should not be wild. Since the pastoral qualifications listed in Titus are things that every Christian should aspire to, it seems that God’s desire for all our children is that they would not be wild.
Because we can hold vastly different standards on what it means to be wild, it may be helpful to understand God’s character in this. 1 Corinthians 14:33 says, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” God’s character is one of order. One could also argue that God is a god of creativity, spontaneity, and even that he has a sense of humor. However, He is also a God of order.
So what does it mean that our children should not be wild? What standards would be fitting for the child of a God of order? Here are some ideas that come to my mind.
- No yelling, screaming, or unnecessarily loud behavior
- No throwing food or objects which are not meant to be thrown
- No running in the house or in other inappropriate settings
- Children’s rooms and play areas should be reasonably well picked-up
While there is certainly opportunity to let kids be kids, this does not have to occur at the expense of peacefulness. Children can have standards and boundaries and still have a lot of fun. However, if you are not experiencing peace in your home, you are probably not keeping them under sufficient control.
If God had children, it would be hard to imagine them running, screaming, and throwing French fries at each other in the midst of a chaotic house. God wants children who are peaceful, not wild.
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