Spoilt

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

On Saturday morning I had breakfast at Mugg and Bean. I saw a grandfather walk in with his granddaughter of about 7 or 8. She was dressed in a ballet outfit. “Pops,” she said, “can we order pancakes?”

I am sure that they ate pancakes for breakfast.

Grandparents are different from parents. A father or mother might have said, “Let’s first eat something healthy and then we can have pancakes for pudding.”

Grandparents are allowed to spoil their grandchildren. It is almost expected of them. However, we probably all agree that spoilt, entitled children are no fun to be around. In cases where grandparents have the total or major care of children, they have to act more like parents than grandparents. They have to set rules of behaviour and healthy habits and enforce them. Otherwise children get spoilt. Spoilt brats grow into spoilt adults who think the world owes them.

Jesus taught us that God is our father, not our grandfather. We do not have Him wrapped around our little fingers to get anything that we want. God does not give us everything that we ask for, any more than a good parent would give a child a gun to play with or alcohol to drink if they asked.

Nevertheless, Jesus said, “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:31-33 NLT)

My Prayer

My Father, I trust Your wisdom as a loving Father to know what is good for me; what will prosper me and what will harm me. I know You are more interested in my character than my passing wants. Thank You that You have promised to provide for my needs and give me everything I need to live a Godly life. Amen.