The Christian Home

A few years ago, three children were locked in their parents’ car at the end of the cotton rows while their parents worked. After working down the rows about half a mile, the parents heard their children scream...the car was ablaze. By the time they reached the car, it was too late! How sad and tragic this story is. Another sad story is that too many parents are "half a mile away" when their children really need them. While children need many things of a physical nature, the most important things are spiritual.

Children Need Teaching Worth Hearing

Children learn from many sources: movies, TV, school, magazines, songs, books, their peers, etc. But all too often, the things they are learning are worthless. From these secular sources, children learn much that is vain, vulgar and void of virtue. TV and movies are a vast wasteland where children are fed a diet of immorality and crass materialism. Our children deserve better!

1. Children need teaching on true values. From the world, our children learn the values of the world. They are taught that material things are the most important. "He who dies with the most toys, wins!" From Christian parents, they should learn that this is not so! "While we look not at the things which are seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).

2. Children need teaching on marriage and the home. Movies and TV show the base and far out in regard to marriage and the home. Parents have a responsibility to teach their children the sanctity of marriage and the value of a Christian home. They need to teach their children the words of Jesus, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" (Matthew 19:6).

3. Children need teaching on religion. God's instruction to ancient Israel is needed today: "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart: and thou shalt

teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up" (Deuteronomy 6:6,7 ASV).

Notice that God's word must be upon the heart. Parents cannot teach what they do not know! Also, notice that the teaching process is informal in nature. As you eat, while sitting in the house, at bed time and in the morning when you get up. Parents, what do you talk about around the house? Do you ever discuss the Lord and His church with your children? David, upon his death bed challenged his son Solomon to show himself a man by following the word of God (1 Kings 21:1-3). Later, Solomon, by inspiration passed on the same charge to his son, saying: "So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man!" (Proverbs 3:4 ASV).

Children need teaching worth hearing. Parents need to leave in the hands of their children a road map to eternity that will guide them safely over the rough places of life.

Children Need An Example Worth Following

Children are hero worshippers by nature. Their first heroes are their parents. Since a child imitates the parents most blindly and trustingly, parents should set an example by good, clean habits. "Like father, like son" is more than an idle phrase. Children try to be like their parents. If parents smoke, they will likely smoke. If parents drink alcohol, so will they. If parents curse and swear, children will too! Children learn to behave like their parents. Do you want your children to be honest? Then do not send them to the door to tell the salesman you are not home! Children need examples of righteousness from their parents!

Children Need Character Building Discipline

Dr. James Dobson. author of the popular book Dare to Discipline believes that the greatest social disaster of this century is the belief that abundant love makes discipline unnecessary. God's word says, "Withhold not correction from the child" (Proverbs 23:13). The apostolic charge to fathers is:

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