Partners in Parenting

“I absolutely avoid absolutes!”

Never, always, everything, nothing… I think words like this should be avoided when speaking.  I have been known to say to my kids, “Never speak in absolutes!”  Can you think of a way to end the beginning of these sentences with words you’ve heard from your family members:

“I always…”  “You always…”

“You never…”  “I never…”

“Why do I always get blamed when…”

“Everything was fine until you came along and…”

“Nothing goes my way when I always try to never get blamed for everything.”  (OK, you probably never heard this last oneJ  Oops, I even put the absolute “never” in this parenthetical statement.)

While reading my Bible the other day, I was reading along just fine until I read an absolute-kind of word.  I started to reread the section a bit because I didn’t like the absolute nature of the directive given to Christians.  I could have read it a hundred or a thousand times, but it would not have changed like I wanted it to change.  Here it is:

“Do everything in love.”  I Corinthians 16:14

Paul is telling the early church members in Corinth to love in everything they do.  That is stated as an absolute expectation.  I don’t like absolutes like always, never, everything, and nothing because life doesn’t really happen that way.  I don’t like the absolute expectation to do everything in love because my sinfulness doesn’t allow me to always love in everything I do.  As Christians, God wants us to do everything in love.  Even though we can’t do it perfectly, we can absolutely always try!  Blessings in your efforts!

Family Discussion Points!

Why are absolutes so dangerous to use when we speak?

Everyone share an absolute that you’ve heard someone use.

Is it possible for us to do everything in love as God wants us to do?  (No, it isn’t because we are sinful)  If we can’t, should we even try?  Why or Why not??