What's wrong with this picture? BOTH women are coddling their little ones! The little dog ought to be walking. He looks healthy and young enough to do so, unless he has some other problem. The youngster should not be on a leash. A leash is for an animal. He needs to learn obedience and walk with mother in a disciplined manner, hand in hand if necessary.
Love does not coddle an object. Minister to it, yes! Help it, yes! Meet its needs, yes! Protect it, yes! But, be a helicopter hovering around and doing what it ought to do for itself and protect it unnecessarily from the realities of life? No!
Sadly, I've seen adults who, coddled when young, prove incapable in the grown-up world of coping with life in a healthy and wholesome manner.
When Jesus healed the lame man brought to him on a stretcher, he did not heal him and say get back on your stretcher and let you friends carry you home. He told him to take up his bed and walk. "But..................I've been ill a long time. I haven't the strength. I don't know how to shift for myself..." No, He said get up and take yourself out of here.
Love goes hand in hand with wisdom and truth. Never divorce it from other noble qualities. John Stott said, "Christian love is not the victim of our emotions but the servant of our will." That's it! We do for others but shouldn't do for them what they need to do for themselves. That's love coupled with wisdom and makes for good parenting (and good caring for the less fortunate, and good relating to a spouse, and good helping the less fortunate in the body of Christ, and good pastoring needy people, etc., etc.
Dear parents, cuddle them but no coddling.
- dick christen
