We are on our fifth day of studies in Proverbs, and have already had some pretty deep discussions about negative influences, peer pressure, adultery, fornication...yeah, I said it was deep! Read more about our study @ In The Family.
The news over the last 2-3 weeks has been full of the story of the congressman that has recently been exposed (for lack of a better word), and I know that the kids have heard parts of that story (although talk radio is banned for now due to all the innuendos), and Proverbs chapter 5 has been an amazing tool for teaching them the result of sexual impurity, specifically adultery. "Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well...let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers...why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress...for a man's ways are in full view of the Lord..." It doesn't get any more clear than that, and what a prime opportunity to explain these timeless truths to kids who will soon be teenagers.
These summer days will tick by so quickly, and it's important that we use this time to connect with the children on a deeper level than what we may be able to on a typical busy evening. I'm scared and sickened by the statistics that indicate such a lack of discernment, wisdom, and understanding by kids who are growing up in America's homes. When are we going to realize that a Biblical foundation is ultimately the most important gift we can give to the next generation? There is a huge misconception among parents that says, "If my children learn to be religious, responsible, polite, good, and helpful, I will have done my job well." Who are we kidding? Children can learn a set of behaviors that will earn them "brownie points" in any setting. What we should be asking ourselves is this, "Do my children know and understand Who created them and for what purpose? Are they sensitive to His direction in their lives, even in small things and at an early age? Am I surrounding them with truth at every turn? Are they able to find consistency through their experience at church, at school, and at home? Are the messages mixed, or is all teaching pointing in the same direction? Am I a living example of Christ's love and mercy, as well as His chastening and reproof, in their world? Is their salvation the most important thing to me? Do my actions and decisions prove that statement true?" Those are pointed questions, and they demand answers because our children are suffering from not only a culture of Godlessness, but homes that are deeply inconsistent. Genuine consistency is extremely difficult, but extremely crucial.
I'm inclined to think that the world can continue to act as it does, being grossly vulgar, wicked and sinful, and our children can still transition into adulthood with purity and strong faith if they see in us the Character of Christ and decide that the prize is worth the sacrifice. It has to be more than just a way of life that we all take because grandpa and grandma did it; it must be an intensely personal decision to abandon ourselves to the cross of Christ and whatever stigma or reproach it may bring.
The book of Proverbs is helping us to lay those strong foundations by giving clear principles for today's issues. God's Word is alive, it is relevant, and it is the only reliable Source for navigating life's course.
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