Pro-social mirror - Understanding disrespect and talking back

Many parents think their children are defiant for no reason except to cause trouble, just for the sake of causing trouble, because "children want to manipulate". The sin nature of children is not one of vengefulness, but one of ignorance and perhaps trauma on top. The true nature of children is like a mirror, not "little monsters". Children are reflective of our sin nature.

Children can be understood as like a mirror, where you peer into your child, and see your own demons. It says in Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: as this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is ὑπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, warm rest in the love and grace of parents, just as adult believers rest and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. Respect for parents is closeness on the level of sustenance, leading to fondness and admiration, further leading to honor. Children demanded from parents, and parents provided, then once children were done demanding, thus parents done providing, children rested in the providence of parents. Attachment parenting was the norm in ancient Israel and adjoining churches. Children went in the nude up until adulthood, and that was for mothers to co-sleep with children in skin-to-skin closeness, with children up to age 3 being seen as infants behaviorally, with mothers breastfeeding them as such. Children, growing up, listened to parents at their pace, meaning as parents respected and heeded the needs of children, with the compliance like a mirror, meaning as much as the parents respected children, children respected the needs of parents. Compliance to parents as an adult falls under the concept of hear, understand, then obey, and refers to the form of "tag along" obedience from secure attachment, where you hear and understand what your parents have to say, but obey in a way that is independent from punishment, meaning I honor and obey my parents because I trust them, and that trust comes from secure rest in the love and grace of parents.

Children appear to parents like a mirror, and this is what the Apostle Paul was warning parents about in vs. 21. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers literally to "stirring up" upset and resentment in children, as in the Jewish idiom "stirring the pot" regarding your child's emotional welfare. This ultimately refers to offenses against children. meaning the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including physical or other forms of punishment against the child. Ultimately, Paul was speaking of a child, in his accompanying parenting manuals on proper attachment parenting, of a child being like a mirror into your own faults as an adult. The Greco-Romans treated children very harshly, meaning with corporal punishment. Paul was rebuking such parents, telling them that their child reflects their faults and sins like a mirror. If you are angry with your child, and treat them harshly, that is what you will receive in return from your children. If a child hits you, maybe they need to communicate something they have no words for yet, but if they do, perhaps you hit them first. Whose fault is that? The Apostle Paul instructed parents to teach by example, meaning the Living Example of Christ, meaning parents are an extension of Christ in the home, but since they are flawed in nature, they are to focus on self-discipline and self-control, encouraging such in children by being their first role models for their children, showing charity and generosity towards children to teach children how they should treat others.

Children were seen as convicting figures, meaning extensions of God. God is said to appear in the most vulnerable of human beings (Matt. 25:31-46). Children weren't like they are today, meaning they refused to be cute and innocent looking for adults, and instead had a mind of their own, and an opinion of their own, and were outspoken in a way no parent or adult could ignore, demanding and ordering their parents as to what they want, with parents giving children most of what they wanted, with some of what they needed instead. The cries and demands of children struck reverent fear and terror into the parents in ancient Israel and adjoining churches, meaning parents totally accepted children, and when you totally accept a child for who they are, you revere them in a thundering way, meaning their stated and implied needs carry that significance. All of this biblical context applies today.

The depraved and entitled parents will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them burn in the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!