Traditional beliefs about God portray Him as a strict, stern parent with high expectations; a father figure who keeps tabs of our mistakes, shortcomings, and weaknesses; a legalistic, pushy, autocrat who demands perfection; one of those parents who would never suggest skipping school or piano practice to go fishing or watch funny TV shows with you past your bedtime.
In my experience, God is more like a responsible parent, who takes care of His children. He has high moral standards, yet understands that His children are still growing into maturity. He craves to be with us, play with us, laugh with us, and enjoy us.
In some ways, God might be more like a grandparent than a parent. Some wise grandparents have a broader perspective than first-time parents. Because they have more life experience, they tend to be more patient and empathetic as children struggle with developmental issues.
I’m not saying that God is wishy-washy and indulgent. I’m just saying that some of our traditional beliefs about Him might be a misrepresentation of who He really is.
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