Tag Archive - Depravity

You’re not being like God

July 29, 2010 in Leadership with 2 Comments

My 6 year old sledder/theologian

Nothing has taught me more about God and my own depravity than having children.

  • They’re like little mirrors into my own soul. Little kids are so honest and without guile (most of the time). They don’t know yet how to disguise their sin (at least not very well). They’d be horrible poker players.
  • The things they say and questions they ask about God force you to really know your stuff (and how to articulate it simply – you can’t use words like articulate).


My daughter said something to me last night that stopped me in my tracks and made me ponder 2 things (and I still haven’t figured out either):

  1. What should I have said to her?
  2. How am I like her?




Here’s how it went down:


The kids were up past their bedtime working on a puzzle.

Me: “It’s time to go to bed guys”

Them: “Daaaa-ad, can we please stay up for just a few more minutes”

Me: “No, it’s already past your bedtime”

Them: “Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaase?”

Me: “NO”

My 6 yr old daughter (in a sweet sing-songy voice): “You’re not being like God!” (i.e. – God = grace)




Part 1: What should I have said to her?

This is my attempt to crowd-source my parenting. Looking for a little help here.  What would you have said to her?  ”Shut-up and go to bed” is not an acceptable answer.  How would you explain how the man/God relationship operates (that we as child/Father model)?

My answer to her at the time?  I mumbled something about authority and law.



Part 2: How am I like her?

This is where the real spiritual growth comes.  How am I like her in my view of God?  Demanding grace when I deserve justice.  And probably even a deeper issue: demanding control.

To quote Tim Keller from his excellent book Counterfeit Gods (which I’m currently reading):

“The original temptation in the Garden of Eden was to resent the limits God had put on us and seek to be “as God” by taking power over our own destiny.”