My granddaughter has heard about “adults” all her life (she’s four). She wants to be an adult, except she says it this way. “One day I will be a “dult.”
She really makes me wonder what she thinks a “dult” is.
We should all wonder about what we mean by being an adult.
I began to consider this as I thought of Newtown and what we as the church, parents, and society must do to help children grow up to be productive parts of society. You can see some of my recent posts about what adults can do by clicking here. I also wrote about how we can react after such a terrible event. Please click to read. Click here to read about My Hardest Days As A Pastor.
We must change what it means to be an “adult.”
Every child wants to be a “dult.” They know it means freedom.
Paul used this analogy to talk about Christ and the law. Children of well to do families had a family slave who served as a guardian for the children. Like children today, children of that day could not wait to take off the clothes of a child and wear those of a grown-up.
Before Christ came, the law served as a guardian. Paul told the Galatians going back to the law would be like going back to childhood and under the subjection of the family custodian. No child would think of such a thing.
Children want to be like adults. Our use of the word sets up children for pain and trouble. What does being an adult mean in our society?
Adults drink “adult beverages.”
Adults use “adult language.”
Adults watch “adult movies.” The list goes on and on.
We must add responsibility and godliness to the meaning of “adult.”
Doing this means we model Christlike behavior for our children. By doing so they see being grown-up as being mature in Christ, thinking about the needs of others, and behaving as responsible people who seek to model lifestyles pleasing to God.
This is what it really means to be a “dult.”
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3 Responses
Good advice. In my younger years I often forgot how to act as an adult and sometimes those actions affected me for years later. Thank God for not remembering those years and his grace given to me.
Recently I was sharing with a neighbor in Metairie who has had open heart surgery and last year took a fall coming out of the library which resulted in multiple fractions in both legs. (I modified the ramp someone built for her to get in and out of her home since her husband could not manage the slope with her wheel chair.) She’s ready to use her steps and as she asked my opinion on the position and attitude of the large red Christmas Bows on her hand rail, we talked about our children. The older couple and I were sharing thoughts about the right of passage of a young married man becoming a father. We acknowledged that a man needs the company of men and agreed that a man’s world changes when he takes a wife; and changes again when he has children.
We agreed people need each other and real men don’t prove their manhood by their sports activity or drinking, or even by their sexual powers. A ‘real man’ takes care of his family before his wants; it is his real need. His decisions are shared with his wife’s consideration and made in the Light of God’s Wisdom. There is a time and way for a ‘real man’ to fish, hunt, and enjoy the company of other men, it is just not at the expense of his children or his wife. She reminded me that a real woman knows this and acting on that knowledge is part of her being a ‘real woman.’ She takes care of herself so that she may be there to put her family first, to care for them.
It is such a Blessing of the Lord to attend Tuesday Morning Men’s Breakfast at First Baptist Church of Covington at 0630 hrs, that’s 6:30 a.m. for some, to hear what it means in God’s plan for a man to be an “Adult.”
I haven’t been to Martha’s Class, but I would not be surprised if a similar message was shared about being a ‘real woman’ “Adult.” It is part of the “Meat” we are expected to partake in our being His, Together. Romans 12:5, etc.
Thank you for the example, even as Paul preached.
Blessings!
Let’s point out to people that if they think “Adult” drinks, movies, and speach has anything to do with or can occur in conjunction with Christianity and the role/right of a parent….They’re deceived and LOST! They love the things of the World.
There is nothing to add….we must break down this society’s understanding of such things…it can only be done with Truth; with our testimony and the blood of the Lamb! Rev 12:11
Command men to Faith in Jesus: to repent of such filth and cry out for God to regenerate their hearts unto conversion.
Hallelujah!