Robbery In The Home
|
Physical robbery of
homes is common in our times. This robbery of homes is bad because it
not only steals our physical possession it also invades our privacy and
often makes people prisoners of fear in their own homes. There is a
robbery taking place in many homes that is not a crime in any law book,
nor would those responsible be punished by civil authorities even if
they were caught. This robbery is worse in many ways than the physical
robbery of the home. It is sadly approved by the majority of people in
our society. I am speaking of the “robbery” of godly character in (from)
our children, most often by those who should and purpose to love them
the most. It is this robbery in the home that I want to discuss in this
article.
The Robbery of Discipline Though it has been
proven to be an absolute failure, the Dr. Smock philosophy of don’t tell
a child “no” and don’t physically discipline a child it might give him /
her an inferiority complex is still much in practice today.
Parents, grandparents - adults - think that the rebellious antics
of a small child are “cute.”
Then these same adults cry, “What happened, what went wrong when
their ten, fourteen or eighteen year is rebellious and uncontrollable.
Instead of parents being in control and telling the children “no”
and making it effective, children are telling the parents “no” and
making it effective. The
children have been robbed of discipline.
The rod and reproof gives wisdom: but a child left to himself
bringeth his mother to shame.. . 17 Correct thy son, and he shall give
thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul
(Prov. 29:15, 17).
(cf. Prov. 19:18, 22:6, 15,
Robbery of The Love of God’s Word Through both
example and teaching many parents are robbing their children of a love
of the scriptures. What is the most used book in your house?
Which do you as parents place greater importance, your child
(children) getting the lesson for public school or getting the Bible
class lesson. How often do you sit down with them to study and discuss
the Bible? Space will not allow the printing of all the following
scriptures, but I strongly encourage you to read and consider the
message of them. (Deut. 4:8-10, 6:4-10, 11:14-20, Prov. 4:1-13, 6:21-23,
Ps. 78:3-8, 119, 97, 113, 127, 2 Tim. 3:15.
How many lyrics of how many songs, TV commercials, or how many
stats of many ball teams does your child know or short cuts for video
games? How many scriptures does he or she know?
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find
me (Prov.
Robbery of Personal Responsibility Parents by not
practicing Bible discipline and by making excuses for the faults and
mistakes of their children are robbing them of the character of
accepting personal responsibility.
This also many times robs them of learning a work ethic that will
carry them through life.
Children are being taught
even when guilty to say, “it wasn’t me” instead of accepting
responsibility for their actions. They are in essence
being taught to tell a lie.
You say how is that so?
That is what they are taught when parents know they are guilty but let
them get away with it. They
are being taught this when one is guilty and another is innocent when
something happens and all deny responsibility and we don’t go to the
“trouble” to determine who is guilty and just let the incident pass or
we punish both even though one is innocent. Adults are teaching this
when something happens and they have the attitude, the other child -
children - had to be guilty, “my child would never do any wrong.” (2
Cor.
Robbery of Humbleness When we teach our
children to think and believe that they “are better than anyone else,
you are # 1,” we are teaching them a worldly pride and robbing them of
humility. We
teach them they are “too good” to play or associate with certain
other children whose only offence is that they came from “the wrong side
of the tracks” or are “in the wrong social class” we are robbing them of
humility. We are in theory
teaching them that God makes people differently.
It would be difficult for Jesus today to take some little
children and say, “become as a little child.” (Matt. 5:3-5, 1 Pet.
5:5-6, Phil. 2:3-5, Rom.
Robbery of Unselfishness This is a close kin
of the previous “robbery of humbleness.”
Many children today have little to no concept of freely sharing
things that belong to them.
Instead they have been taught (they did not learn it on their own) the
attitude “that’s mine, you can’t play with it” or “that’s mine don’t
touch it.” If they want it,
they should get it whether they need it or not - often if parents cannot
really afford it. If
another child has something and they want it - they think they should
have, and will take it away if they are “big or brave enough.” If there
is a line to be in or a game to be played their attitude is “I have to
be “first,” “I deserve to be first.”
Grandparents, WE, sometimes aid in this robbery - “they’re my
grandchildren.” We call
this “sin” covetousness/selfishness in adults!
(Phil. 2:3-4, 1 Cor. 13:4-8, Matt. 7:12)
Robbery of Respect For Authority This act of robbery
is very closely associated with the robbery of discipline. If children
are not taught respect for authority in the home they will never be
taught (have) respect for authority. If children are not taught
discipline and made to understand and respect the authority of parents
they are never going to honor their parents as they should nor respect
authority in school or in social life. How often do you hear children
saying “yes ma” or “yes sir” to their parents? (Eph. 6:1-3, Col. 3:20,
Matt. 15:4, Prov. 1:8, 4:1,
Robbery of Respect For Those Older This robbery is
somewhat of a fallout of the robbery of respect for authority.
If we don’t teach our children to respect us as parents and
grandparents how can we teach them to have and show respect for other
people who are older A majority of children today would just look at
someone older who told them to do or not do something, and ignore them
or say “who are you to tell me what to do?” Some parents would even so
as far as to tell that older person, “don’t be telling my child what to
do, if he or she needs to be corrected or told something I’ll do it.
What type of an example is that? What is that teaching the
children? How many young
people today will wait on an older person to go first, or would open a
door and hold it for them? (Eph. 6:1, Lev. 19:32, Job 32:6, Prov. 16:31,
Isa. 3:5, 1 Tim. 1:5)
Robbery of a Dedicated Christian Example
How often do our
children see us put social, school, worldly things or family before the
church and the doing of God’s will?
How many ball games, school activities, social events fishing or
hunting trips, etc. have our children seen us miss to attend or
participate in a church function? How many church functions have they
seen us miss to attend a ball game, school active, special social event
or a hunting or fishing trip or to take a vacation? How much interest
have they seen us put in personal Bible study? How many times have they
seen us attend Bible class having not even looked at the Bible lesson?
What have we stressed as more important to them getting our
public school lesson or our Bible class lesson?
Which have we given the most importance to them being good in
sports or being a good example to their peers?
What type of speech and personal conduct example do we set before
them at home? What type of
example in dress do we set in our own clothes and what we buy for them?
Do we practice Matthew 6:19-33 before them?
(Eph. 6:4, Col. 3:20, Prov. 1:1- 31:31)
Are you robbing your
children in any or several of these important parts of a godly
character? They, to a great extent, will be what we make them to be.
Your child (children) is your most precious gift from God.
They give you one of your greatest responsibilities! |