October 2, 2018

Make A Different Choice

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. – Proverbs 22:6

The party was loud and wild. Drunk teens stumbling to their cars. Disrobed teens scattered around the front yard. Young men using a decorative fountain as a urinal. And the police not responding because, well, no one wants to take on one of the town’s “elite” families.

Where were the parents? It’s an obvious question. No one seems to know. It wasn’t the first time such a party occurred. In fact, the party were back the next night.

Sadly, many of these kids are “Christians.” They were raised in church. They attend church. They have all the right clothes, gadgets and cars. They have every advantage but one: They apparently don’t have parents who supervise and hold them accountable for bad behavior.

Why? Another obvious question. It’s difficult to condemn what you do on a regular basis. Oh, they might not do it in public but the teens see the drunken revelry in their own homes. They hear the sexual comments. They know about the affairs, the parties, the driving when drunk.

I wish I didn’t know all these things. I wish it were something in another town, another neighborhood, another family. But it happened right here. It still happens. When will it end? How many lives must be destroyed before someone says enough?

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

– Ephesians 6:4

Some of the parents are quick to point the finger at others. They demand that God be placed back in the schools. I can only shake my head. They need, first, to put God back in their homes. They need, first, to clean themselves up and be an example to their kids of how people of faith should live. They should be the example of upright living and not of debauchery.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12

But whether parents do their job or not, teens can and must rise above bad examples and live upright lives that are dedicated to God. Parents can learn from their children. They can see good and change. Kids shouldn’t have to lead the way but, make no mistake, they can.

This is a sad situation that plays out far too often in way too many towns. Teens, refuse to be sucked in by peer pressure. And parents, step up and set a better example. Stop blaming others when your kids get in trouble because they’re following in your footsteps.

Every day begins anew with a chance to take a different path. Take it.