Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Became ParentsSample

Boundaries Are Good for Us and Our Children

On day two of Creation, God made the sky (Genesis 1:6-8).

Perhaps like me, you have not given much thought to the purpose of the sky. We love its beautiful sunsets and stand in awe of its powerful storms. But we might otherwise take the sky for granted.

Of course, if pressed, we may remember that the sky actually serves many important purposes. Most importantly, without the sky, we would not be able to breathe. 

Thank God that He did not take the sky for granted. He said on day two of Creation, “Let there be an expanse” [the sky] to separate “the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse” (Genesis 1:7).

Imagine that! God essentially said, “Sky will start here and stop there.” That’s just like Him—establishing order and creating boundaries around us so that we are safe and have what we need.

We as parents can learn at least two lessons from God’s handiwork on day two of Creation.

First, God is a God of order and boundaries. We, His children, thrive because of order and boundaries.

Likewise, our children benefit when we establish and maintain order and boundaries at home and in life. This way, they learn when to “start and stop.” That is, they learn the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior.

Second, God doesn’t take us or our needs for granted. He is highly concerned not only for our physical and spiritual well-being but also for our emotional well-being. He wants us to have what we need in every aspect of life, and He wants to walk alongside us as we go through life.

We, too, can strive to provide for and protect our children; we also can invest deeply in their well-being, including their emotional well-being. We do this largely through our respectful, loving, and supportive interactions. Establishing and maintaining reasonable boundaries is also a great way of investing in our children’s emotional well-being. 

How about that?! Sky and boundaries are both life-giving! Sky helps us breathe. Boundaries keep us safe and help us thrive at home and in our relationships. God knows what He’s doing!