Jesus had great compassion for parents. One time, a father whose son was being attacked by an evil force came to Jesus, desperate for help. ‘Bring your son to me,’ was Jesus’ simple response.
Those of us who are parents know that many things can attack—or trouble—our kids. Some of these attacks come from within their own bodies—some illness or other condition that perhaps makes aspects of daily life harder for them. Or perhaps we see evidence of some inner attitude, bad habit or negative way of seeing themselves that is not helpful to their wellbeing. Attacks can also come from outside—troubles such as bullying or betrayals, accidents or disappointments.
There are times, as parents, when our hearts ache for our children because we want them to be happy. We want them to choose a wise path. We can speak words of encouragement and challenge into their lives. We can support them, but we can’t always change their circumstances or their response to these circumstances. This can be very hard to accept sometimes.
Of course, grandparents, extended family, friends and teachers also know what it’s like to see the challenges that young people face, and want to find a way to help them. In fact, as children grow, some of these people have more opportunities to speak into a young person’s lives than their parents.
In whatever circumstance your child is facing, hear Jesus’ gentle invitation: ‘Bring them to me.’ Parents aren’t expected to carry the burden of worry about their children alone. Jesus invites us to share our concerns with him and draw on his strength and wise advice.
We see the value of this approach in this edition’s article about Theuns and Tania Henning, who have written a book detailing their experiences of living with an autistic child. The couple’s goal is to give their son Reuben all the skills he needs to have a full life. Faith is one of the anchors in the Hennings’s lives. In fact, Tania’s dad says, ‘if it had not been for God and nail-biting’, his daughter and son-in-law would not have been able to bear their challenging circumstances. There are probably plenty of parents who can relate to that observation!
Christina Tyson
Editor
Psalm 119:32 World English Bible
‘I run in the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.’
Nga Waiata 119:32
‘Ka oma ahau i te ara o au whakahau, ina whakanuia e koe toku ngakau.’