But a true Christian parents does love, and children know if we live in love. When my own father died, I was overwhelmed when I remembered all the little acts of love he and Mom had shown me. God's love given through them over the decades still helps me today. We parents can speak hope, hope in the God who makes all things new. The Lord knows we've taught them false hopes, delusions grounded in academic degrees, in our latest research, our latest purchase, our latest fad, our latest crusade for whatever that tickled our itching boomer ears.
Children see through that.
What will not be lost on them is our candid honesty, speaking with them as the equals that we are. Call it personal repentance before God and spiritual candor with the new generation. Out of our repentance, the God who raises the dead can surmount our past failures. Out of His forgiveness for the things we didn't handle well, the God of resurrection kindles hope. To be a father is, however.