HANDLING HURTS 1- A CHILD HURT BY HER DAD

As I stepped out of my office that afternoon, I saw a young lady crying. I walked up to her to console her and make enquiries about why she was crying. She looked up and said, “I wish it was my father who died”.

I was taken aback. She narrated how their dad had abandoned her and her siblings since the death of their mother. It has been a pretty rough time for them. This was a hurting child.

The father can hurt the child. Apostle Paul gave this warning to the Church at Ephesus:

And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:4 NKJV

He also told the Colossian church:

Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

Colossians 3:21 NKJV

It seems to be an important warning. It is still unfathomable the extent that a hurting child can go. An example of such a child is Absalom.

Absalom had a sister called Tamar who was raped by their stepbrother, Amnon. When Absalom got to know about what happened, he housed his sister. When King David, their father, heard about what happened, he was very angry but that was all he did.

It was recorded that Absalom did not say a word neither good or bad to his stepbrother for two full years.

But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

II Samuel 13:21-22 NKJV

After two full years, he organized a party just because he wanted to kill Amnon. He succeeded. But it was not enough. He went after his dad. He got the King on the run. David abandoned his palace. Absalom raped his father’s concubines and proceeded to a meeting to discuss how to kill his father.

What was the most surprising part?

Ahitophel rolled out a plan to murder David in the war council meeting.

Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. I will come upon him while he is weary and weak and make him afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will strike only the king. Then I will bring back all the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek, all the people will be at peace.”

II Samuel 17:1-3 NKJV

Do you know the response and attitude of Absalom?

And the saying pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

II Samuel 17:4 NKJV

He was pleased to see his father dead. How on earth did Absalom get here?

Dear child, beware of anger, bitterness, and resentment. It can eat you up gradually. It can bring poison out of you. It can bring out tendencies that you would never believe that you possess.

If you are a child who has been hurt by your dad, would you rather end up like Absalom? That is a dangerous spot to be. You would have to leave that spot. It is not healthy for your soul.

temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa