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Parenting by Design - April 18

Shaming the wise?

1 Cor. 1:26-27:  Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong (NIV).

In today's culture, these words are tough teaching for parents! We long for our kids to be wise by human standards—just look at the emphasis we put on grades, test scores, and college acceptance as measures of success and worth. We revel in achievements that put them in positions of influence such as cheerleader, student government, or captain of a team. We may envy the opportunities available to other children due to their family's wealth or social position.

While God calls us to use our minds to make wise choices, no amount of human knowledge can replace Christ's work on the cross. Ironically, real strength and wisdom are found by surrendering our pride and coming to God in humility and weakness.

Teach your children that real strength comes by submitting to God and humbling yourself before others.