temper tantrums not accepted

Last Friday as I watched the woman I babysit for interact with her child,I realized something. My God is nothing at all like that woman. As much as I think or might hope that my God is like that woman, he isn't. Stay with me here, I have a point.

Here's why:
In order to protect the reputation of the individuals involved, names have been changed. Susan, the mom came home from her area of business to find her two children Bob and Bobett, in a fairly pleasant state. It had not been 10 minutes after she got home that Bobbett started acting out and hitting her little brother, she also felt it was appropriate to yell, "No!" at her mother after Susan had told her to calm. In response Susan chased down a smirk Bobbett who was running back to her room, all the while thinking this disobedience was a fun game. I heard Susan say to Bobbett, "Bobbett stop right now or I will take away your milk, (a treat in this household....I don't know?)." To which of course the small child starts to cry, and the mother quickly responds, well I won' take away your milk, but you will have a time out.

This to me is bad parenting, there is not a sence of stability or consequences or accountability for actions. The child shows a slight sign of resistence and the mother caves in. And that's when I realize, that my God is nothing at all like this mother. And that frightens me.
Not becasue I think that God is not compassionate or concerned with his children and showing them love, but I just don't think he's willing to let us off the hook that easily, especially just because we've responded to his directions with a temper tantrum.
I think that the post-modern society that we live in allows us to create whatever God we'd like to. No one really questions the morals and obligations that we set for ourselves no matter how tight or loose they are. I myself am guilty af this process. I often comfort my decision making by saying that, "God is bigger then the bible, or standards set forth by the church." And as true as that statement might be, the fact is that he still gave us the bible....doesn't that mean something? So I guess the question lies in where is the wisdom that we draw from that establishes for us the way in which we choose to live? I think that in thinking about this it is important that rememebr what our purpose on this earth is....we're to be models of Christ, we are to live for him, but are we? I would hate to think that Christ would be a proud, swearing, permiscuous(sp?), social drinker (just being honest, about myself, not judging). This is not to say that Christ wouldn't hang out with people like me, but I don't think that he would engage in the same activities as those around him. I think that he would choose actions that would be moren focused on, "how can I be productive for the kingdom," and less focuse on, "how much can I get by with before I get kicked out of the kingdom?" and I think that I've lost structure here.

Anyway, all of this to say that I think in my mind I've created a lenient (again, sp?) God. A God who probably isn't as loose with his discipline as that mother was, as much as I'd like this to be true. And he definitely won't be responding to any temper tanrums that I throw. So I guess this is a challenge. I don't think it's a matter of rules and restrictions, instead it's about the effort put forth to truly be the body of Christ. In greek Christian means, "little Christ." And I can speak for myself when I say that the majority of the time the actions that I choose to make in life does not portray that I have choosen to be like Christ.

When we accept God's grace, we are told that in return we are to be different from the world. We are called to take off the old and put on the new, we should look different then the sin around us.This doesn't mean that we take on an ora of better, just different. Unortunately, most of the time I would say that I bear a striking resemblence to the world around me, and worries me.....