Bands of Love

I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love. — Hosea 11:4.

If I were to give advice to any new parent it would be to lead the child “with cords of human kindness, with bands of love.” Isn’t that a beautiful image of parental love? It is not suggested that a parent not guide the child, but instead that guidance should be tempered with kindness and love, not corporal punishment or raised voices.

I admit the occasional use of the latter, and there was never a time I felt good about it, didn’t regret my actions, or thought that raised vocal cords accomplished what kindness or love could under the same circumstances.

The “cords” and the “bands” will be cut soon enough when the child goes out on his/her own. Lead with the bands of love as long as you can.

PS: Thanks to Luis for the following quote after the Post titled “Laugh”:  “Humor is, in fact, a prelude to faith; and laughter is the beginning of prayer.” — Reinhold Nieburh

Share this post

• 
• 
• 
• 

About the author

Webb Hubbell is the former Associate Attorney General of The United States. His novels, When Men Betray, Ginger Snaps, A Game of Inches, The Eighteenth Green, and The East End are published by Beaufort Books and are available online or at your local bookstore. When Men Betray won one of the IndieFab awards for best novel in 2014. Ginger Snaps and The Eighteenth Green won the IPPY Awards Gold Medal for best suspense/thriller. His latest, “Light of Day” will be on the bookstands soon.