“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” – Galatians 6:7 “If only I hadn’t …”. “I wish I had…”. “Why didn’t someone stop me?” Do any of these sayings sound familiar? Perhaps everyone has regrets. One person told me that while he was in college he was “pretty wild”. “You know,” he said, “not one person in the church ever came to me and said, ‘Son, you hadn’t ought to do that’ “. It was not until he and some friends rolled a car … [Read more...]
Teaching accountability
“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” – Matthew 12:36 There is a theme throughout the Bible of accountability. We are told over and over that sin brings consequences. There are many warnings in the Bible as to the importance of obedience and actions. It behooves us, in light of this, to teach our children that they will be held accountable for their choices and actions. The best way to teach accountability is to … [Read more...]
Love requires action
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind…..you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matt. 22:37,39 It is so easy to say, “I love you”. It is a good thing to tell others that we love them, but do we always understand what we are saying? Most parents would readily argue that they love their children. Love, however, is not just a feeling. Love is something you do. I Corinthians 13 provides a list of qualities of love. Love is … [Read more...]
Deal with disappointment
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28 Following the last election, I saw a picture in a report on TV of a young lady who clearly had genuine fear in her eyes. She was afraid because her chosen candidate had not won. I felt sorry for her because she clearly did not know how to deal with her disappointment in not having her candidate win the election. Are we raising children who … [Read more...]
The best foundation
“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” – Deuteronomy 6:7 What better thing can we do to prepare our children for the future than to teach them Scripture? When Scripture becomes engrained in a person, it becomes the basis for decision-making. It gives comfort as well as guidance, yet in many instances our children are not being taught enough verses from the … [Read more...]
‘Oh, those wild kids!’
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them ….” – Matthew 18:14 It is exhausting mentally, spiritually, and physically to work with some of the “wild” kids that often come to us. It is so exhausting, in fact, that some church workers refuse to make an effort to reach out to the “hard” ones who don’t know how to behave. As one worker told me, “Our VBS went much better this year because we didn’t pick up those kids at the preschool like we usually do. They don’t know how … [Read more...]
Behind closed doors
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.” – Psalms 127:3 (NKJV) What has happened in our country that so many no longer consider children a blessing as God intended? It seems that daily we hear of stories of children being mistreated that rend the heart of those who care. Consider these true stories told to me: • A church youth worker was informed by a student at a Christian camp that her mother was jealous of her because the mother’s boyfriend … [Read more...]
Back to school
“My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you….bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.” Proverbs 7:1,3 Much time and attention is given to providing school supplies and new clothes to prepare children to go back to school in the fall. How much Spiritual preparation do we give our children to face the many challenges they will undoubtedly encounter? It seems that many of us are often guilty of waiting until problems arise and then attempting to … [Read more...]
Do we idolize fun?
“Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, And the end of mirth may be grief.” Proverbs 14:13 Recently a little boy dropped out of summer school. When asked why he didn’t want to go, he said, “They told us two things. They said that it would be fun and that we wouldn’t have homework. Well, the first day they gave us a journal to take home each day and bring back, and it wasn’t fun at all while we were there.” How often we hear parents, leaders, teachers, and others tell children, “It will … [Read more...]
Where are the Shotguns?
How vividly I remember the saying that was going around my hometown of Verona, Mo, when I was growing up. “You better not date one of those Haddock girls! Old man Haddock has a shotgun!” My four sisters and I hated that. We knew that many guys would not go through the grueling experience of coming inside and being questioned by my dad with his booming voice. Only the strong of heart dared. When they walked out the door with one of Ernest Haddock’s daughters, there was no doubt in … [Read more...]
Light in a confused world
“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105 Few would dispute the fact that our world is becoming more confusing. Young children may question, “Am I a boy/girl, or am I a boy/girl who looks like a boy/girl?” While shopping, where do I go to us the bathroom when there may be new choices? What are the Ten Commandments? Do those Ten Commandments just apply sometimes, or are they no longer applicable at all? Is our country’s Constitution outdated? Who has the … [Read more...]
New tools, same rules
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23 Recent comments about young people and their “devices” would lead one to believe that technology is the work of the devil. There are those who blame recent inventions for many undesirable actions. They are upset that young people will talk on their cell phones instead of talking to people around them. They feel that too much time is spent on computers, cell phones, etc. On the other hand, there are … [Read more...]
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