Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is good and right. ~Proverbs 20:11
Sons are a heritage from the lord, children a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of the warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. ~Psalm 127:3-5A
Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ~Matthew 19:13-14
Well, we know how it goes. Whether it is fair or not, society treats a child’s behavior as a window into the family. When a child does something that reminds us of the parent, we may say, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!” When a child displays bad manners, or an unkempt appearance, for some reason, the mother gets blamed. If the behavior is really uncouth. we may hear, “Were you born in a barn?” To a degree, I suppose those comments have some merit, after all, much of our behavior is learned from our point of origin. However, children are distinct individuals capable of making their own decisions and choosing their own influences. Thus, they become “known by their actions,” independently as well.
But aside from that reputation aspect, there is such an assault on children today. I just learned of a statistic the other day that shocked me. More than 400,000 children are missing today here in the United States between the ages of 3 and 17, because of sex trafficking. This statistic came out in a news story that reported that 29 children had been recovered from a sex trafficking scheme in Georgia, just this past weekend. How does this happen? How is abortion so widely accepted today? Why is it that prepubescent girls are the main target of the trans gender movement today? How did we get to this point?
Unfortunately, none of this is new thinking, just new packaging for old thought patterns. Throughout history children have been under attack. They have been sacrificed to pagan gods for the hope of a good crop, or the hope of success in battle. They have been thrown out, abandoned, and left to die, for not looking right or being the wrong gender. They have been used as slave labor, even up to the early part of our own industrial revolution. The history of how man has treated their own offspring is deplorable, compared to how animals treat theirs. Even the disciples wanted the children to go away so that they wouldn’t bother the Master who was speaking to the adults. How about crying babies in the sanctuary? See any resemblance?
I guess, when you think about it, in our humanity, what’s to love? Kids are messy, noisy, unpredictable, expensive, stubborn, and precious in God’s sight. In fact, the attitudes that exist toward children, that I mentioned above, are attitudes that exist in a Godless society, but are not a part of godly thinking and attitudes toward our children. From the moment of conception, children bear the image of God. It’s for that reason more than anything else that they have been under satan’s attack since the birth of Cain and Abel.
Yet, “Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is good and right.” So, here is the struggle. There is the child, born in sin, even in a godly home, who must choose; to be like their parents or to be like the world. The world may not value them as the godly parents do, but it is capable of tempting them with entertainments that appeal to the sinful nature. Godly parents are not powerless, but the struggle is real, and we do well to acknowledge it.
When we can engage with our children and or grandchildren in their struggle, we become a safe place for them to be. We know the truth. We have been through the struggle ourselves. If we can demonstrate an attitude of walking beside them and guiding them through, even into adulthood, just as God does for us, we may just become a powerful refuge and influence that is not easily shaken.
Studies have shown that despite all of the influence of the peer group, the majority of teens still list family as the strongest voice in their lives. We may feel that the peer group is winning, but remaining in the game with them, working on the relationship, is still worth the battle. However, we need to be the sure foundation, with God’s strength, that they will need to lean on when the temptations of the world come, so that they can choose good and right conduct. This extends beyond our own children to other children who may come under our influence. We can mentor them too as we have opportunity.
“Sons are a heritage from the lord, children a reward from Him.” Taking care to invest in their lives is just one more way of giving thanks to God for all He has done for us. He has given us a voice. Through our children we will speak into a time that we may never see. Let us influence that message for good while we can. They are listening. “Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When we honor that principle, we are passing along the message of the Kingdom itself.
Prayer: Father, my children are all grown up. I do love them. I pray that my influence has been used mostly to bless them. And I thank You for the remaining opportunities to disciple them for You. Allow me also to welcome and mentor other children and youth who need a godly influence to help them. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: Let the Children Come
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