Last week it finally happened. I was asked, “why do you like being mean” by my three year old. Huh? “Like being mean”? Nope, doesn’t sound like me. In fact, that’s probably my LEAST favorite part of parenting (behind cleaning up children during the stomach bug, bleh). I really do hate disciplining my girls and as many times as I try to explain it, Hope still doesn’t understand that I’m trying to protect and prepare her.

The more I thought about being a “mean mama”, the more I realized we do this to God. We often label him as a “mean God”, not giving us what we want or disciplining us for our choices. Yet all of it has purpose, it is all a part of God’s master plan. I like how Hebrews 12:11 describes discipline from the Father:

Being a “mean mama” means that I am training my children, training them to be successful, to understand that sin comes with consequences and training them to live a life glorifying the Lord. God wants the same for us and yes, discipline can be painful, but He wants us to be trained, to yield righteousness and live a life for Him, rather than ourselves. Like it says in Hebrews 12:7-8, “God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline,in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.”

I want to be a “legitimate” child of God. I want to be trained and treated as His daughter. I might gripe, grumble and ask Him why He’s so mean, but ultimately I want to be treated like a child of God rather than not. It’s about seeing past the discipline and understanding that He loves me so much and cares for me so deeply. I hope someday my girls will understand I’m really not a “mean mama”, I just love them that much to be mean.

Thanks for letting me share,