“Papa, let’s play it my way”, demanded my five-year-old.
We are in the midst of playing manual games – Snakes and Ladders.
“Wait; let me think about it….” I replied. I almost gave in, to his demands.
Today he had struggled a lot. By analyzing the way we played for the last thirty minutes, several times the snakes on the board had troubled him. It is difficult to hide my compassion towards him.
“No, let’s follow the universal rule of playing this game. Keep trying!” I said.
He gave me a scorned look. But he followed my instructions; he knew I have the authority over him.
For starters, Snakes and Ladder is a abidings-20
We bought the game for some reasons: One, to reduce his screen time. Two, to help him learn how to count. Three, to spent time together. It is our hope that it would resulted in us growing closer and a good time for teaching life’s values.
Let’s talk about two things:
(a) Power Play at Home;
Now, when he demanded to play his way, by altering the rules a bit, it is natural. We also did that in our childhood days and even protested with hue and cry.
In our innate being, we wanted to bend few things if it does not favored us. But our parents enforced upon us some basic rules, which are not very sweet at that time. And I am really happy they did that.
It is a very small matter. I could have simply let him bend some rules. However, tomorrow he might say, “Papa, let’s play my way again!” So, I used my God-given authority over him so that he might learn his lesson.
In today’s society, I have seen young people challenging authorities, blending the rules and creating havoc in the society. We are deprived of inner peace and harmony.
It is becoming of a trend to revolt yet all revolutions are not bad. Please don’t get me wrong.
At home, the sanctity of family hierarchy has been challenged. In many cases, it has been destroyed. Small things flourished into destruction of human lives.
(b)The Way to the Father;
In the Bible, Jesus Christ told His disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV)
We simply cannot bend or create our own way to go to the Father. There is only one way to get to the Father. No other way is given.
If we try to get to our Heavenly Father by our own way, we would perish. (John 3:16) God is beyond the challenge of human; He possessed the Highest Authority, forever and ever.
Do you think it would serve us good to depend on the wisdom of man; bending the way and playing it our own way?
In the game of life, let’s try to, at least, play it safe by following the ways of the Lord.
When failure looms large on our way of life, we are left with none to turn our ways to. This is the biggest threat to a life living on our own ways.
