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- Leviticus 25
- Psalms 54
- Proverbs 1
- Luke 22
Leviticus 25:43 Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God.
How do you treat those that are under your authority or under your care…your children, other woman, employees? Do you rule over them with rigour?
Rigour is defined as severity or strictness, stringency, toughness, harshness, rigidity, inflexibility, demanding, difficult, or extreme. Consider these words…would these words describe how you deal with your children or with others?
Ruling with rigour has more to do with your disposition and attitude toward those that you direct, than it has to do with the number or severity of the tasks.
You are commanded to train your children. You are to teach them to have high moral standards, to be kind and to love the Lord, but this is not accomplished through harsh words, inflexibility, and a disappointed look.
Consider the prayer of the oppressed…the victim of rigour
Psalm 54:3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
When you rule over your family with rigour, they could come to the conclusion that you are far from God and he is not a part of your life. If you are treating your family with rigour in hope of making them spiritual, you are actually accomplishing the exact opposite. They do not see the love of God in you, they do not see God in your actions and they will not be drawn toward Him.
As you approach your family with rigour, you are filled with your own ways and not filled with the love the Christ has shown you.
Proverbs 1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
When you live with joy and approach your family with pleasant expectations, your spirit will experience joy; if you approach those in your family with harsh and demanding expectations, your spirit will be filled with frustration as you are denied the desired results.
As you deal with your family, communicate their value to them. Let them know that they are loved and loved by the Lord. This goes farther toward motivating them to turn toward “right” than demeaning them and communicating your “grave disappointment” in who they are. Dealing with people with rigour never brings about positive results.
The Lord defined a leader the following way…
Luke 22:26-27 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
As a leader, as a mom, you do not need to rule with rigour and harsh words. You are desiring godly results, but your rigorous methodology (and attitude) will not accomplish what you want for them. Your children do not need your disdain in who they are to motivate them to respect you and change their ways.
The Lord served in love and guided with His word. In love he pointed out sin and invited them to change. Not a rigorous ruler, but a loving leader.
HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH GOD
Lord, who have you placed under my authority?
Lord, in what ways do I rule with rigour?
Lord, in what ways do I act towards others that does not show you in me?
Lord, I do not want to treat people, my family with rigour. Please help me to find your way of leading and guiding. Please help me to be a loving leader…
Glory, Strength, & Beauty 
Excellent words. Thank you
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