Biblical Answer

When your child steals from you, it is a painful and hurtful experience. The first step in making amends is to take responsibility for your actions and to apologize to your child. This means being upfront and honest about what you did wrong, and accepting responsibility for your part in the situation. For example, you might say, "I'm sorry for calling you stupid when you took my money. I was wrong to speak to you in that way, and I should have handled the situation differently." This kind of apology is not a hollow one, but rather a sincere expression of remorse and a commitment to doing better in the future.

It's also important to teach your child to be humble and to take responsibility for their actions. This means modeling the behavior you want to see in your child, and being willing to apologize when you make mistakes. When your child makes a mistake, such as stealing from you, it's not just about punishing them for their actions, but also about teaching them the value of honesty and integrity. By taking responsibility for your actions and modeling the behavior you want to see in your child, you can help your child to develop a strong sense of self-control and to make better choices in the future.

In addition to apologizing and teaching your child to be humble, it's also important to seek guidance from God in this situation. This means praying for your child and asking God to give them a heart that is quick to confess their mistakes and to be truly repentant of them. You can pray a prayer like this: "Lord, I pray that You would give (name of child) a heart that is quick to confess her (his) mistakes. May she (he) be truly repentant of them so that she (he) can be forgiven and cleansed. Help her (him) to understand that Your laws are for her (his) good, and that You want her (him) to live a life that is pleasing to You." By seeking guidance from God and taking responsibility for your actions, you can help your child to make amends and to move forward in a positive way. Biblical support for this approach can be found in Proverbs 28:13, which says, "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered." This verse emphasizes the importance of seeking wisdom and guidance from God, rather than relying on our own understanding. By doing so, we can help our children to develop a strong sense of self-control and to make better choices in the future.