Scott commented describing his response to a struggling father he witnessed the other day.
A few days ago, I was at the store picking up a few items on my way home, and saw another dad, apparently doing the same thing. He had one very small child in his arms–throwing a tantrum, and two more in the shopping cart, equally acting out. Trying to push the cart with the hand/arm he was holding the baby with (and trying to bounce her to cheer her up) in his other hand was his phone. His wife was yelling so loud at him about how he screwed something up that we could all hear it.
I started my blog with this guy in mind.
I approached and said the only thing I could think of, being totally overwhelmed with my own feelings of agitation, disgust, compassion and empathy. “You are doing OK, dad.” He looked like a PTSD sufferer. I don’t even think he registered my comment.
The Kendrick brothers would have us believe that he probably deserved that.
I feel differently.
The Kendrick/Rainey/Driscoll model would resemble R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket. Yet as a father himself Scott knows there is a time and place for harsh correction, and a time and place where encouragement is needed. As Colossians 3:21 commands (NASB):
Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.
It is ironic that the men who are most eager to tell the rest of us how to be Christian fathers have no concept of that whatsoever.
You can visit Scott’s blog here.
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