3rd letter to my Brothers and Sisters
My Dear Brothers and Sisters.
What does it look like to raise your children up in the ways of the Lord? What does it mean that children are an inheritance from the Lord? I have been given the gift of youth. Not youth as in a youthful appearance or body. I have been given the gift of working with the youth of Harrah Church. They are a gift. This gift has opened my eyes to many things. When you look at the average Christian child:
-They are born into a family that goes to church every Sunday. The average parent drops their child off at the children’s ministry on their way to the “adult” service. The child typically spends his days in Sunday school being told all of the nice bible stories and how much Jesus loves him no matter what. That becomes the depth of many children’s relationship with Christ. Then their parents come along and often have them baptized at a young age as soon as the child says they love Jesus. I am not here to judge anyone’s raising, just making an observation.
- Then the child becomes a teenager and is no longer stewing in innocence. The teen begins going to a “youth group” for most of their biblical learning. Most youth groups play a game every Wednesday night, sing some worship songs, then give a 15-minute sermon. I know this, because I grew up with this. There are very rarely hard teachings because we wouldn’t want our kids to get uncomfortable and quit coming. Our sermons are not long because we know they could never pay attention for longer than that. Most are never taught how to really read the Word. If any youth leader shows an interest in a teen, the situation is almost always presumed perverse. Thus, ending any type of intentional mentor relationship. The teen stays here for a few years until the age out of the church’s system. As soon as the child graduates, they are no longer part of any direct ministry.
At what point do parents take responsibility for their child learning about the Lord? Does the Word not say, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”? We can not always expect everyone else to teach our children about the Lord. While I say this, I am also thankful for the workers. I have witnessed workers lead children to the miracles of Christ. I have watched these workers prepare children for the work of the saints. I have watched these workers remind children of the Lord’s Word so many times that the child is now reminded of the Word. While the workers are doing good work for the Lord, what are the parents doing? Are you taking every opportunity to pour Christ into your child? When St. Augustine was studying in Rome, he was an adulterer. He had a mistress with whom he had a child. He was following a Manichean theology of religion. His father showed him the pagan ways and his mother showed him the Catholic Christian ways. When he left their home at an early age, he was led astray by every kind of deceit. The few things his mother taught him, were trying to compete with the sin filled world. His mother Monica left their home in Africa and followed him through Rome. When he boarded a ship, she followed. When he got off, she followed. She stalked him like prey preaching to him over and over. He had to escape a ship that she had followed him onto to get away. It wasn’t long after this that St. Augustine fell ill and found a new mentor. A bishop. This bishop was able to show St. Augustin the truth and power in the Pauline letters. So, while his mother may not have been the one thing that pushed him towards salvation in Christ, her persistence in planting seeds in her son played a huge role in his salvation and his path to lead others to Christ.
What seeds are you planting in your child? Are you watering those seeds with the Word of the Lord?
- Your Sister, Andi