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HOW TO LOSE YOUR CHILDREN
God gives people a wonderful gift when he allows them to have in their charge the little ones that make life so happy. And yet if we are not careful, they can be lost to the Lord and as they grow older, any prospect of salvation may be lost. May I make some suggestions that it seems to me that parents who are Christians ought to be considerate of? Such suggestions are based on observation, and having raised some of my own. Parents, will you give me a hearing? Here's how you can lose your children to the world. Delay the spiritual training they ought to have early. One young mother asked an older person when she ought to start her child's spiritual training, as she hadn't done it yet. When asked how old the child was, her respons was that he was "one year old." The answer was obvious - "you have waited one year too long." From the time they come into the world, begin this important process; take them to services; teach them; read to them; pray with them. Make excuses why they should not be at services. If a "sniffle" comes along, by all means treat it like a major disaster and make sure that both parents stay home with him! If he is "fussy" or "tired," do the same thing. It won't take him long to pick up on theese and become effective himself in using them later. What a bad example to set before a child when it comes to worshipping God! Tell me then - when will you start to handle the matter differently? Little wonder we have "big folks" that are so adept at "excuses." Let him always sit in the back. Here is a sure fire formula for that young person falling away later. "Why is that," you ask? I don't know - but it has been my observation that parents who allow this are setting their children up for a lifetime on the back pew, and usually they will be out the back door and never come when they get "on their own." You want a percentage on this - I would guess that this is true in probably 90% of the cases. Are you willing to take that chance? A parent who allows this again is preparing for an older child whose service to God will be half-hearted - at best. Give him his own phone line when he is 10 years old - and then don't put any restrictions on it. Let him talk to whom he wants, when he wants, and for however long he wants - and then count the wasted hours that come. No - he ought to be made to use the "family phone" like everybody else does, and for the same reason - to communicate something necessary, or even for a pleasant "chat" with somebody. I have seen some kids that look like they have a phone for a right ear! Don't monitor his TV watching. "Oh, he's mature enough that what he watches on TV won't affect him." Yeah, sure. Here is one of the most influential things in our society, and "your Johnny or Susie" won't be affected? Tell me about it! TV wrong? - No - it can be good - until it becomes something that takes time away from what is important, such as time with the family, study, reading, etc. Don't teach him any manners. Allow him to be rude to older folks; wastch him ignore them, and possibly come up with a "grunt" when he's spoken to. Above all, don't teach him gratitude; its too much to say "thank you" when someone does something for him. Let him grow up to be only a "taker" and not a "giver," thinking the world owes him a living. Sure as the world, he will not have any other of the qualities a Christian ought to have. Allow him to argue with you. Even when he's small, let him always be the "winner" in your arguments one way or the other. And then say, "well, there was just no way he was going to have it (whatever it was) any other way." To which I say that's nothing but hogwash. If you can't come out on top in a discussion (which may take the form of his throwing a fit), you've gotten off to the wrong start! Give him a car as soon as the state lets him have a driver's license. Ah, sweet freedom! And then don't put any limitations on that either. A young person deserves a car when he needs one - not just because he wants one. Are all these true in every case? Of course not - nor would I pretend that they were. But these are what generally happens. As a parent you have to ask yourself, "am I willing to chance these things?" - Bill Moseley AND ANOTHER THING ...
(Ham and Baloney) Bro. Robert Turner tells about a young fellow from the "backwoods" who took his first "paying job" working on the big dam being built. He was friendly enough until lunch time when he would withdraw to a distant shade tree to eat alone. The rest of the men urged him to joing them and he explained: "I ain't had no pay check yet; but soon's I get me one of them black buckets, with some round meat'n'loaf bread, I'll eat with you." Seems that all he had in a shoe box lunch box was a bunch of ham, fried chiecken and soda biscuits. Talk about a guy that was "well off" and didn't know it! Sort of reminds me of some folks who are Christians, wishing for things that folks of the world have when what we possess is a whole lot better. How can the worry of winning a "rat race" of the world compare to the peace of mind the Christian ought to have? How can material possessions compare with the heavenly treasures that are abiding, and that fade not away? How can ungodly people compare with the wonderful folks who possess the attributes of our Lord? How can one compare the prospects of heaven with the trifling things the world can offer? Any Christian who would trade what he has for what the world has to offer, would probably trade ham for bologna (that's "baloney" to you country folks)! - Bill Moseley |
