My son, who is awesome by the way, is struggling lately with complaining. I have been teaching him what that means (he is only five) and why that is a terrible habit (and annoying one too). I don’t talk about him much, not because I don’t love the guy (because get real, he is amazing and easy to raise) but he honestly is not the one who often causes me to pause for a minute and reflect on this road am on.

I listened to a podcast some time back and the preacher was teaching about how parenting in a lot of ways mirrors our relationship with God and helps us understand him better as our father. Imagine promising your son you will buy him a guitar (toy one of course in my case) on his birthday and every morning he asks you for the same thing assuming you forgot your promise. Now imagine you made the same promise to your son and once in a while he reminds you that his birthday is coming and he is looking forward to receiving his guitar. Be honest, which one gives you better vibes and if these two children were yours, which one are you more likely to give a guitar joyfully?

Now, children aside, which one are you and I? Do we trust God after praying for something or keep treating Him as one who forgets His promises or do we show trust? Do we often practice complaining and do we appreciate just how annoying a habit it is?

Thanks to my son, am more aware of that. If you catch me complaining, you have permission to pinch me. I hope it won’t be often. By the way, the little guy is working on it and I see him catching himself when he starts on it.