Why Admitting Your Mistakes Models Forgiveness and Humility
All fathers make mistakes in parenting. The question is, how do we model humility and ask for forgiveness from our children when we mess up?
According to life coach Ed McGlasson, admitting our faults and confessing them to our kids can be one of the most powerful lessons we teach them.
In our recent discussion on the Raising the Standard podcast, Ed shared from his own experience of getting angry with one of his sons and realizing that "you speak that way because that's the way you talk to yourself."
Feeling broken, he cried out to God and asked how he could become a better father.
God revealed to Ed that Jesus learned "how to receive every day from the Father." He realized that if he learned "how to hear the voice of the Father like Jesus did," God would transform him into the kind of father who makes a difference.
One way he implemented this was by confessing his own struggles and shortcomings to his sons. Ed shares:
"The way you teach your kids to be honest is you go and confess your own sin to your kids. I did that with my sons. I said, 'Look, Dad's really struggling. I've been struggling with this. Can you pray for me?' And they go, 'Really, Dad?'
When Ed admitted his own weaknesses, it opened the door for his oldest son to admit his struggles as well. By modeling confession and humility, Ed empowered his sons to be honest with him.
So the next time you mess up as a father, don't be afraid to admit it and ask forgiveness from your children. Your own humility and transparency will teach them more about grace and redemption than any sermon ever could.
As fathers, we can either teach by preaching truth at our kids or by incarnating truth in our own lives. Choosing the latter through confession, repentance and asking forgiveness models the Gospel in a deeply powerful way.
Listen or Watch the entire interview below.
