Tough Questions

I have shared before that a couple of times a year during our family worship I have a list of questions I ask my boys about me. These are times that I really have to talk to myself and make sure they never see any defensiveness in me, because these are very vulnerable times. Being boys, and our home and family being what it is, very seldom are there any "pulled punches" but through the years there has been an amazing amount of grace. I have listed the questions before and I will list them again here, but something amazing has happened through the years as I have asked my boys the following questions:

 

Questions For My Boys:

 

1.       How is your personal Bible study?

 2.       What is God teaching you?

 3.       In your own words, what is the Gospel?

 4.       Is there a specific sin you are aware of that you need  

            my help defeating?

 5.       Are you more aware of my encouragement or my

            criticism?

 6.       What am I  most passionate about?

 7.       Do I act the same a church as I do when I’m at home?

  8.       Are you aware of my love for you?

 9.       Is there any way I have sinned against you that I’ve

            not repented of?

 10.   How am I doing as a Dad?

 11.   How have Sunday’s sermons impacted you?

 12.   Does my relationship with your Mom make you

           excited to be married?

 

The last two times we have done this something astounding has happened. The boys have asked if the following night they could ask me questions. Last night, we went through their questions and one of the boys said what I so often feel but don’t have enough guts to say. He said, “Ok, I am asking these questions but I’m not real sure I even want to know the answer.” We laughed and went through questions they came up with like…”What is in my life that you see that is halting my growth as a godly man?”   “What are some areas of sin you see that I am not relying on God’s grace?”  These questions that they come up with set a tone for teaching, showing grace and confessing my sin and exposing areas of sanctification that I would not have an opportunity to deal with in any other occasion. I am learning through them, that openness to correction in my life is allowing me opportunity to teach and correct in a more grace filled way. May our home and our Church always be a place that grace flows and sanctification is at work.