by Dennis and Barbara Rainey

2 Samuel 12:7
Nathan then said to David, "You are the man!"

King David was on the hot seat. He had slept with Bathsheba, then sent her husband off to be killed at war. When the prophet Nathan approached him with a hypothetical case of a man who committed the same sin, David responded by saying the man deserved to die. Imagine his shock when Nathan cried, "You are the man!"

I think of that verse because parents should be prepared to be on the hot seat when they talk with teenagers. If you are not living the life you are telling them to live, they will let you know it.

In the same survey the youth at our church were asked, "What questions would you like to ask your parents if someone else could ask them for you?" Here were some answers:

Why do parents have more trouble talking to kids than kids have talking to parents?

Were you a virgin when you got married? Was it worth it?

Have you ever done something horrible that you regretted?

Why do you avoid tough issues?

How would you feel if your child didn't go to college?

Have either one of you ever had an affair?

Are you sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this marriage will last any longer than your previous ones?

Are you willing to admit to your children the mistakes you have made and then ask forgiveness?

If you had to give up me or your business, which would it be?

Do you love or even care about me? Do you think I am worthy or can do anything? Why won't you ever listen to me?

Why is it so important to be a "success"? Is that going to get you to heaven?

Do you know what these kids were saying? They wanted to ask their parents these questions, but they didn't feel the freedom.

Your kids need your example and involvement. And they need to have the freedom to put you on the hot seat. It is better to be embarrassed by a question you don't want to answer than to raise a child who will become a fool and humiliate you later.

Prayer:

Thank God for His grace and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.

Discuss: For only the courageous: Take this list of questions and show them to your teenager. Have him or her mark off which ones he or she would like you to answer someday.

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