Ron Hutchcraft Ministries - When Your Kid Drops the Ball - #8404

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Download MP3 (right click to save)

Near the end of the baseball season, a dad was able to get some good seats for him and his daughter at a Philadelphia Phillies game. Now, wouldn’t you know—a fly ball came sailing right into their zone and Dad caught it. A souvenir Major League baseball to show off! Not to be. He gave it to his daughter and she unknowingly threw the baseball away. What would a man’s instinctive reaction be when he had just lost a rare sports trophy? He reached over and hugged his daughter and told her he loved her.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft. Hooray for a dad who’s got his priorities straight! He showed his daughter that she was more important than the thing he’d lost. He was providing a great example of how to respond when our kids drop the ball. The Bible writer, Paul, talks about how he tried to treat people “as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 ). What a great description for a father: “Encouraging” with the praise and affirmation they need, “comforting” when they’re hurting, and “urging” when they need some correction and direction.

So often we dads tend to lose it when our son or daughter drops the ball. And we forget a fundamental law of life-building parenting: When your child is the least loveable, they need your love the most! Even if they need discipline, let it come from love, not anger. The times they mess up are the best times you’ll ever have to prove you love them. And they’re more important than whatever they dropped.

This radio program references: 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12