Biblical Answer

Making Amends with Your Child After They Stole from You

As a parent, it's natural to feel hurt and betrayed when your child steals from you. However, as a follower of Jesus, we're called to respond in a way that reflects God's love and forgiveness. Before we can make amends with our child, we need to take responsibility for our own actions and attitudes. Have we been modeling a culture of honesty and integrity in our home? Have we been demonstrating the importance of confession and repentance?

When our child has stolen from us, it's essential to address the issue in a way that's both firm and compassionate. We need to explain why their actions were wrong and how they hurt us. We should also take the opportunity to model a healthy apology, saying something like, "I'm sorry for overreacting and saying hurtful things. I was wrong to do that." By doing so, we're teaching our child the value of humility and taking responsibility for our actions. As we work through this issue with our child, we should also be praying for them, asking God to give them a heart that's quick to confess and repent.

Ultimately, making amends with our child after they've stolen from us requires a willingness to forgive and move forward. As Jesus taught us, "If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you" (Matthew 6:14). By choosing to forgive our child and work through this issue together, we're not only restoring our relationship with them but also demonstrating the power of God's love and forgiveness in our lives. As we do this, we're also teaching our child the importance of living a life that reflects God's values and principles. By doing so, we're giving them the tools they need to navigate life's challenges and make wise decisions that honor God.