Loser Mom

I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.

Proverbs 4:2

I am a loser mom. My boy will grow up to be a juvenile delinquent. These were my thoughts as I disconnected the call from the school principal. My son had seen the principal’s office twice in one semester…this time for throwing paper towel basketballs into the trash can in the boys’ bathroom. I phoned my husband in tears with the news.

“You ARE NOT a loser mom,” he assured me. “Our boy is just in first grade. This is when he needs to make mistakes and learn from them.”

“But he should know better than to play basketball in the restroom,” I countered, “Even as a first grader!”

Does God ever have to repeat himself to you? Does he ever have to re-teach you? We all learn through repetition. God tells Joshua over and over, “Be courageous. Do not fear.” Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God in many ways, often starting his teaching with, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like…” (Matt 13:45). The disciple John’s writings are full of his repeated pleadings to “Love one Another.”

For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule, a little here, a little there (Is 28:10). This is how God teaches us. A little at a time, over and over, bit by bit, with patience and steadfast love. This is how I need to teach my boy.

I’m happy to report that this boy is now a seventh grader, growing in godliness and the character of Christ. He has not made another trip to the principal’s office since this one in the first grade, but he did serve time in “Homework Lunch” this week! He is learning. He has a teachable spirit.

Thank you, Lord, for your patience with me, for not giving up when I must learn the lesson again. Give me a teachable spirit so that I don’t have to repeat the hard lessons!
Jill Hardin