The blessings of loving children equally can be difficult at times, but with God’s help, you can. I grew up in a large family, yet my parents treated us equally. I always felt loved, and no one in the family received more than the next. As a parent of three grown children, my wife and I have strived to treat all our children equally.
There are great blessings when you grow up, and are all treated equally and loved. When this happens, you grow up feeling secure in who you are in your relationship with your parents and siblings. If you were not treated equally, you must work harder to establish a new pattern in your family. In our story about Joseph, his father, Jacob repeated the same mistake as his father, Isaac, of having a favorite child. Jacob created a wave of hardship throughout his family through how he treated his children, which would affect them throughout their lives.
The Fallout of Not Treating Children Equally
Jacob loved Joseph, who was born in his old age, more than his brothers. Jacob gave him a beautiful robe to add to this already difficult situation between Joseph and his brothers. Genesis 37:4But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him. [1] What if Jacob had made special robes for all his sons and loved them equally?
The Lord Brings Healing to the Hurting
As we grow up, it does not take long for most people to realize that their actions affect others. One of my friends was abused as a child and decided to treat his children differently when he became a parent. Perhaps you grew up in an unloving dysfunctional home and were affected by the actions of another person.
Sometimes people question where Jesus was when they needed Him the most. You may ask, “Why wasn’t I loved? God has given each person free will, and not every person uses their free will lovingly. If another person has hurt you, God would like to bring healing to you. Cry out to the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to help you forgive the other person. Ask the Lord to bring healing to your heart. Our Lord came to set the captives free.
You Can Choose to be a Loving Parent
We have the free will to nurture, love, and care for others. A loving and caring parent can set a child on the road to success spiritually, emotionally, and physically. A devoted teacher can inspire a child to become who the Lord wants them to be. A caring neighbor, friend, or family member can be there during difficult times to help.
To hear about the blessing of loving children equally, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/refining-josephs-dreams
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ge 37:4). Tyndale House Publishers.