Wyatt, my youngest son has been attending church on his own. That is a huge blessing to me as his momma, but I perceive that he is searching and questioning. Or, perhaps "challenging," is a better word.
He came home from church the other day and said he thinks Paul is kind of a jerk, and he doesn't think women should be submissive. Maybe, he said, Paul doesn't know everything he thinks he knows.
This conversation reminded me of a joke my daddy told once. "There is a reason God gives us teenagers," he said. "So we'll want our children to leave home. They know everything. They'll be fine."
Wyatt and I talked for a few minutes about his perspective, but he was stubborn on a few things (unless he was actually internalizing the things I was saying and didn't want to show it). LOL
I didn't push too hard to enforce my beliefs. Wyatt does have to figure all this out for himself. I pray he has a revelation of God's love because THAT would change everything for the boy. When you can grasp, even a little, how much the God of the universe cares for you, that he laid down his life for you to prove it, and that he, therefore, is worthy of your trust, understanding every little thing in the Bible isn't so important.
Or, another way to say all this is the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Wyatt needs to discover some reverential awe of the Father.
Later, after our conversation, I remembered a quote I'd heard from a preacher years ago. "If something in the Bible offends you, most likely you are either being rebellious or you simply don't understand it." I think Wyatt has a little of both going on and, being young, he thinks he's got all the answers...even though he doesn't even know what the questions are.
I believe there is grace for our young people. Maybe more today than ever. Lord knows they need it. Our Father knows what to do with cocky kids. David comes to mind. I just pray Wyatt's cockiness, like David's, turns in the right direction.
Am I the only one with an adorable know-it-all in the house?