Christmas parenting

Luke 1:

15 He'll achieve great stature with God.16 He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God.17 He will herald God's arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics-he'll get the people ready for God.

Interesting that part of the message of John the wild one :) is that his message will soften the hearts of the parents to children. Eugene Peterson, who paraphrased this, lost a bit though...everyone else says, turn the heart of the fathers back to their children. I am a pro co-parent advocate ie: I believe that Mom's and Dad's mission in life is to parent in tandem. One is not more important than the other, nor is one more valuable...both are needed to balance the picture of God's image. BUT is does seem that fathers have to work harder to engage in the heart part of raising children. I think it is part our culture, but the scripture seems to hint that it is a fundamental problem. Fathers can loose the softness required to parent well.

Jesus was never a father and throughout his whole life here on earth, Joseph is not a part of the picture. I don't remember any pointed sermons at or for fathers but I do remember that children loved being with Jesus. As far as we know, John wasn't a father either nor does it seem that his parents were around long after he was born. Neither of these men had long term earthly father or were fathers in the natural sense. Yes...Jesus had his Father in Heaven, I realize this but I am talking about his time here on earth. So what did these men know about fathering?

It seems that the gospel is supposed to make men better fathers not just having a good father. What is supposed to happen is that this gospel, good news, is supposed to soften the hearts of men to their children. NOT make them more rigid, distant, per-occupied, absent, ultra-disciplined, angry...But more kind, present, engaged, grace-filled and gentle. The strength of a man and the kindness of the gospel...a heart softened to his kids. Unfortunately, some men believe that this is the job of the mothers...the soft part of parenting. This is not feminine, this is humanity bathed in the grace of the gospel. We both raise, love, discipline and nurture within the gifts we both have to raise our kids.

Christmas and parenting...who would have thought !