Hope for the Kids

 

“I know that when I was seven years old my parents did not have to talk to me about homosexual marriage. My daughter is seven years old and I have to answer her questions about a man marrying a man and a woman marrying a woman. What are we doing to our kids?”

These are not the exact words I heard yesterday but they are very close. Parents of young children are having to explain things that just 25 years ago they did not even have to think about.

Homosexuality, abortion, the mentally ill shooting people innocent of any crimes. Children are exposed to and asking questions about topics that are difficult for them to understand.

Thank God for His Word and the authority of Christ behind it (Matthew 28:18).

What the world teaches us is that we are not “loving” to call sin what God calls sin. It hurts peoples’ feelings to hear that what they are doing or the way they are living does not please God.

This is “short-term” thinking. God’s word would have us live and teach a “long-term” view. In other words, I can allow you to feel good now about your sin and not warn you that we all live forever and that in order to spend eternity in peace and the Light we must recognize, repent of, and turn from sin and to Jesus Christ for forgiveness.

In the day-to-day of life parents must discipline their children. In this life it makes them more bearable to live with and gives them a more disciplined and productive life. A child who receives little correction becomes great in his/her own eyes. The one who learns, first that they can be wrong and second that it is often a sin against God they are committing, will be more likely to see their need for a Savior and repent. This is the gateway to an eternity in heaven.

What the young mom quoted above has to teach her very observant and curious seven year old is the Word of God. At an age-appropriate level it can be used to explain that God’s plans for people are different than the plans of those who do not know Him. These people miss the blessings of living according to His Word.

Sadly, many Christian children are not hearing that God’s law is the only loving and compassionate law that should be practiced by everyone who wants to live in peace and joy. Man’s law is increasingly moving against God and so the nation will also continue to miss the blessings of God.

Are we teaching our children (or grandchildren) the law of God? Are we teaching them the simple truth that God blesses our obedience to Him and His law (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Are we teaching that repentance from sin is a gift from God for our salvation where we can have a long-term, hopeful future forever with Him?

Children have always needed to hear the truth at a young age. God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). The fact that parents have to teach more difficult topics earlier than they are comfortable with is a sad fact and an indictment of the state of our nation. The joy for the parent who knows and trusts the Word of God (and God Himself) is that we have a bright future to teach our children will be theirs if they obey the simple truths of the scripture.

Will you teach it to them?