Train up a child...

Today's generation absolutely breaks my heart. I know that I didn't always make the smartest decisions as a young person (& still don't from time to time), but I had respect for authority most of the time & a fear of God even when I wasn't living right. What happened to that time of respect & reverence when the town drunk made an effort to be in church on Sunday mornings, even if he had been out all night on Saturday, when you turned your music down driving by a church, when you listened to your elders (even if only until you were out of sight)?

I'll tell you what happened, parents started doing a lot more things than they used to do. They started trying to be a friend instead of a parent. They started chasing "the American Dream", working longer hours, & allowing their children to raise themselves. They started worrying about everyone else's opinions on their parenting skills. They started trying to make their kids cooler, better dressed, & more popular than they were. They started "giving in" & buying affection because it was easier than actually paying attention.

Parents have also stopped doing lots of things as well. Parents stopped having an active role in their children's lives. They stopped showing respect for other people. They stopped making their children mind. They stopped standing up for what was right. They stopped believing that church was important. They stopped allowing God to be the center of their lives.

I was flipping through Facebook & landed on someone's page a few weeks ago & couldn't believe what I was seeing. I haven't been able to get it out of my head since then. Children ~ yes, if you are under 18 you are still a child!! ~ living in all different aspects of sin. Children, who were raised in church, venturing out & experimenting with the world. Children with no respect for themselves or anyone else.

Then, as I kept looking, I came across one of the mistakes that we, as parents, are always making. We think that if we will just continue to overlook our children's wrong doings & accept them for who they are, everything will be all peachy. I found this verse posted very close to inappropriate behavior. "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." 1 Tim 4:12

I'm not sure if that parent really put any thought into this or was just looking for a bible verse that slap on a picture (no, I am not judging). This child is openly making a mockery of God & the parent is wanting them to enjoy life & be an example to others.

Is there any wonder that our children are so confused?

The really sad part here is that this family is not the only one living life this way. Oh, I pray that parents will wake up & retake control of their homes. I pray that God continues to show mercy to us all!