Parents indicted: story at eleven

An indictment of American parents: our children are being raised by idolators.

For the purposes of this post, let's say idolatry is defined as "anything we love more than we love God." This is going to be a tough one. I know because I am a parent and I see this trend becoming pervasive in our culture. Sadly, even as adults we are not immune to peer pressure. Even more sadly, peer pressure in America is no longer supportive of the Christian life. In fact, the opposite appears to be true.

Now let me present a couple of scenarios and when I am finished, use your first gut reaction to judge.

Scenario 1: A man is offered a sizable promotion by his company. With this promotion comes a lot of responsibility, but the income will be much greater. This man is a Christian and prides himself on his integrity. Before making the decision whether to take the job, he calls a family meeting and asks his wife and children how they feel about the situation. His wife is pleased and proud of her husband, but the children are distraught at the idea that the promotion will mean they have to change schools and leave their friends, their way of life, everything that is familiar to them. They would have to start all over in a new place and feel upset about the move in spite of the financial gain. The mother sees the distress in her children's eyes and tells her husband she is against the move. Money isn't everything, after all. He tells his employer the next day that he is not interested in the promotion if it means moving. He goes home that day at peace with his choice. He feels that he has made a selfless and nonmaterialstic choice.

Now judge the man.

Scenario 2: A mother is in a store with her two children, both toddlers. She clearly has her hands full. Another woman watches as she struggles to keep the children occupied while she shops. At last she has had enough. She raises her voice and says "You are being very bad! Now sit down or I will have to punish you!" The woman is appalled. She approaches the mother and says "I'm sure you don't mean that your children are bad. Using negative language like that just brings out more negativity." The woman comforts the children, saying "Now you will be good for your mommy, won't you?" The children nod and smile, and the mother, abashed, leaves the store.

Now judge the woman.

In both of these scenarios, the adults are idolators. What are they idolizing? The children.

Am I suggesting the father should take the money and run? Of course not, but before he asked his children, should he not have consulted God, and used his time in prayer and meditation to discern what the most prudent choice would be? Suppose after turning down this promotion his boss now feels he is not a team player, and he is passed over again and finally let go entirely? Now he cannot serve God nor his children. (See Lot's decision to move to Sodom as an example of acting without consulting God.)

Am I suggesting the mother should have yanked her children out of the buggy and spanked them into submission? Of course not. But the Woman in this scenario is the idolator. Children must be made to behave. Scripture tells us how to do so, though in my opinion discipline can be handed out without a "rod." Time out and restriction are perfectly adequate modes of discipline and are probably more effective, but parents have a RIGHT and a DUTY to discipline their children.

Proverbs 22:6 "Train [ Or Start ] a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" II Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is Godbreathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

p.s. I have spanked my children. My considered feeling now is that I wish I never had. Once a child is spanked, you can never unspank them, so if you have not, my suggestion is that you investigate other methods of discipline. Before you spank, think (not to be trite, but...) "what would Jesus do?" It'll at least give you time to cool down before punishing.