We’ve been studying what the Bible says about responsible parenting. This is such an important topic because children are either empowered to succeed in life or crippled and fail. In my book, A CALL TO RESPONSIBLE FREEDOM, I have a chapter on Coping Skills for the Crippled. In studying Bible characters and families you’ll learn more about what not to do than about what to do. Looking at history or the contemporary scene, the same is true. Good role models for marriage and family life are hard to find. This suggests at least one thing: growing a healthy marriage and family life is tough. It always has been and always will be. Mankind has been socially and morally crippled. Multitudes have grown up with so little encouragement or affirmation, and probably a lot of criticism, they feel poorly about themselves. Their most prominent confession, whether to others or privately to themselves is, “I can’t.” The only thing they’ve ever known is failure, at least as far as feedback is concerned. They have such a fear of failure and consequent negative criticism they never try anything challenging. To them, too much risk is involved. They also can’t accept affirmation for accomplishments, be they ever so little. They are crippled motivationally. God knows this and has given in His Word not only examples to learn from, but also many clear principles that, when followed, lead to responsible freedom in our personal lives and in our family life. It’s true, the only solution is God’s grace.