Tears filled her eyes as she recounted stories of a boyfriend she disapproved of, broken curfews, and drinking.  Her daughter's rebellion threatened to tear the family apart.  Adding more cream to my coffee, I listened as she struggled to understand how things went so terribly wrong.

I recalled a time when she gave little thought to a few missed chores.  Even though her daughter's disobedience was clear, she blew it off as just being a kid.  "Kids are like that." she would say over a steaming cup of coffee.  

Now, she had bigger fish to fry.  She longed for the days when all her daughter did was refuse to do her chores and talked back from time to time.  Yet, I couldn't help but wonder if that is where it all began.  

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Tree Roots.  The plumber explained how the roots would continue to Grow and expand causing more pressure on the pipes eventually leading to a total collapse of the pipe.  It is a problem easily left unchecked until damage occurs since the pipes are underground.  The only way to prevent the issue is to schedule regular cleaning.  To rid the current problem,  the roots must be cut out.  

*********

Overgrowth of sin in the Heart is a lot like tree roots.  At first the problem goes unnoticed until one day it threatens to collapse the heart and crush the spirit.  When tree roots begin to grow, a sign is a slow flowing drain.  It doesn't seem like a problem at first.  If anything it is an annoyance easily ignored for the time being.  You simply shake your head and move on knowing that at some point it will require your attention.  I wonder how many times my friend shook her head and let kids be kids. I wonder how many times I do.  We cannot see the impact so we assume we have another day. Yet just under the surface a seed was planted and there in the dark, being fertilized by a lack of discipline, it grows and takes root in the heart. 

"Just say we are going out of town. "

She felt lying was easier than explaining why she didn't want her son to attend the birthday party.

"Let me check my calendar....I think we have something going on."

She had no intention of checking her calendar.

"I didn't do it.  Sally did it."

She felt her heart crack as this lie came from her child's lips.  Where did he learn to lie so easily?

Kids observe every action we take.  They pick up on inconsistencies and hypocritical behavior, and not only call it as they see they mimic it.  When we provide a stumbling block for our children to trip and fall over we invite sin to grow in their hearts.

We all fall short of the glory of God and we all have the ability to repent and be forgiven.  When we sin, we need to own up to it and apologize to our children for dishonoring God.  The lesson we teach is humility as we ask for forgiveness and show actions of repentance.  We are fooling ourselves if we think we hid our sin from our kids.  The lesson we risk is that there are no consequences for sin.

 If sin is not shown to be a departure from the presence of God then will they understand they need a savior?

"Ok, fine....just watch what you want for now...I need only a few minutes to catch up."

"Stop bothering me.  Just get along...I need to get dinner ready."  

Hands running through disheveled hair and a throat tightening by the noose of stress,  she knows something has to give.  Raising her hands in frustration, what gives is telling her child to stop calling her brother a name for the millionth time.  

Overflowing laundry baskets, a sink filled with dirty dishes, ten unreturned calls from clients, and an inbox filled with urgent emails.  The battle for our attention and energy is waged daily.  When what is urgent wins then what is important loses.  Bogged down by the day to day tasks we often find ourselves too exhausted to handle one more thing.  Can't the kids just stop fighting?  Why can't we get through a store without a tantrum?  We cannot take one more intrusion.  Yet, the intrusion is not what it appears.  A child in need of spiritual guidance or discipline is the work of motherhood.  If children were perfect they would not need mothering.  Mothers train character, mold minds and equip soldiers for Christ.  Yes, we also run the practical aspects of the home such as providing clean clothing and dinner.  We feel we failed if the day ends with dirty dishes and crumbs on the floor.  No, my friend, the day fails when the day ends with unpruned sin and chaos brewing in the home.  Dishes can wait.  Dinner can be put on hold.  The business of guiding young hearts for God's glory cannot wait nor be put on hold.

Stop running the race and run the marathon.  The prizes at the finishing line are much greater.