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Derek’s Way
Seeking wise counsel, I had begun reading Christian
authors who promised household harmony. Most of them
were based on complicated systems of rewards and
punishments involving charts and stickers. Having ADD
myself, organization skills were not my strongpoint. I
couldn’t keep track of it all. A few prescribed the
“spare the rod and spoil the child “ approach. Now, I
have nothing against an old fashioned spanking when
the situation warrants, but for every infraction? This
is where I was stuck at the present. Since beginning
this program, Derek had grown worse. What had
originally appeared to be an impulse control problem
now looked an awful lot like deliberate acting up. I
had begun to notice hatred in that cool blue stare. He
was convinced I didn’t like him anymore.
”Your not doing it right,“ the voice whispered,
“You never stick to anything. “
It was true. I hadn’t had the heart to spank him for
every infraction as the program demanded.
“ If I did,” I argued,
“ The poor kid would be in his room with a sore bottom
all day. How can I subject him to that?”
“ But this program is biblical! “ the voice answered,
“ It’s endorsed by God. Who are you to argue with
God?”
Was it? I wondered.
Suddenly overcome by frustration, I kicked the neat
pile of books all over the room. Dr. Dobson smiled his
grandfatherly smile at me from his new position
dangling from the arm of the sofa, only now he was
upside down.
“ Sorry,” I giggled.
Bending to pick up the books, I noticed one I hadn’t read before.
“ Oh no,“ I said out loud,
“ No more books. I can’t.”
“Yes,“ came a new voice. God was talking this time. “One more.”
I realized that God had not spoken to me for quite sometime. Startled, I spoke out loud.
“ But Lord, they only confuse me more. “
“ You have only to ask,“ he answered.
One of those “AH HA!” moments began to enfold me. I
had asked everyone for advice except the one who could
really help me. I dropped quickly to my knees.
“ Lord,” I prayed,
“ I can’t do this by myself. I will read this book,
but Lord, I’m a little thick. Please, if you want me
to see something, you have to hit me over the head
with it. Thank you. Amen.”
Comforted, I settled into my chair with the book.
An hour later, nothing was leaping off the page at me.
Sighing deeply, I began the next chapter: Train up a child.
The verse in Proverbs reads: Train up a child in the
way he should go, and when he is old, he will not
depart from it. I understood the verse to mean, if
you raised your children right, you had a good chance
they would stay that way. The author however had
something very interesting to add.
He stated that the word way, literally meant “his way”, or according to that child’s uniqueness.
My heart was beginning to pound in my chest. Was this the answer?
“ No two children are alike; “ it read,
“Each child must be encouraged and disciplined according to the child’s personality or ‘bent’. “
Tears streamed down my face as I read the last line -
“ The original word for “his way” in the ancient Hebrew is written as ‘DEREK’.”
Thank you Lord.
Message received.
Author: Beth Lane
Submitted by Beth Lane , 152 Post Ave., Hilton, NY, 14468, USA
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