Devotion: 1 John 1:5-10 - Hold It Up to the Light

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. I John 1:5-10

Just recently, I had someone tell me that I'm too hard on my kids.  I was also told to tell my daughter that she has no authority to correct another girl her age when that girl is saying swear words.  I was told I was being unrealistic and that I just don't know what it's like to raise teenagers, and blah, blah, blah (my daughter is on the precipice of teen-hood)  Hmmmm.... I've been thinking and praying about this a lot lately and I've decided that I won't back down from my stance with my kids.  I don't care if they're 2 or 17, God's standard will always apply in our house.  Of course, it's a tricky balance between lovingly teaching them and forcefully laying down the law, but my husband and I are very prayerful about everything we do with the kids and we fully rely on the Lord for guidance.  I've also decided that I will never tell my kids not to stand up for what is right.  If I was out in public, and someone is swearing around me and the kids, I would tell them to watch their language - I've actually done that before.  I don't have any authority over them, except the authority of God.  Now, I'm not saying I'm a perfect, sinless person.  But, I do have a light to hold everything up to.  You see, when you're walking with the Lord, things are so much clearer.  The path is so much more apparent.  Things that were a little blurry become sharp and crystal clear.  In my life, my prayer is that I never lose sight of that light, that I hold everything up to the light.