Children, (continued from page 1)

of Psalms, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.”

Love Like Children

We can learn much from the attitudes of young children regarding love. Young children have an unconditional love that sometimes defies understanding. It doesn't matter what mother or dad look like, how they treat their young child or whether they even pay much attention to their offspring. The child will still be there, hoping to be held or cuddled. And the child will react with love and admiration to any attention he can get. Yet, we have a heavenly Father who provides us everything. He even sent his own Son to die a most anguished death on the brutal cross so that we could have our sins forgiven. But often we still take it all for granted.

Forgive Like Children

A child is forgiving. We have all witnessed a spat between two little kids playing together. Maybe one bongs the other on the head with a toy or calls the other a name. All of the sudden one of the kids is crying. But after a moment, when the pain has subsided, they are back together again, playing peacefully. Children don't hold grudges or remind each other about previous grievances. Once the episode is over, it's over. It is almost like it has been completely wiped out of the child's mind. In Luke 6:37, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” If we can keep that in mind, intead of holding to the hurt feelings of an offence, we might find it easier to forgive and forget.

Be Sincere Like Children

If there is one thing you can say about children, it's that they are sincere. They may tell you things that you don't want to hear, but they speak their mind. As we grow a little older, sometimes we have to temper our sinceriity with kindness. As Christians, however, we do need to be sincere about our beliefs and feelings. That sincerity coupled with love and brotherly kindness can bond us together more fully and equip us for fighting off the evil influences that try to come in and divide us.

Have you ever crept into a room where a small child was playing quietly, or maybe sleeping? If you look upon

Be Content Like Children

their little face, you see pure contentment and peace. In Hebrews 13:5 Paul says, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Finally, in verse 10, Jesus says something that should thrill our hearts and bring tears to our eyes, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” If we humble ourselves as little children, we too shall be able to be with the Father in Heaven.

Daniel W. Parks
Tucson, Az.

The foregoing article was edited and adapted from a six page essay of the same title by Dan Parks. This is a collection of highlights from that essay that are both thought provoking and timely.

Business, (continued from page 5)

Those who have an insatiable desire for the pleasures of this world; and the list can be numerous, will find themselves in poverty. Thus, the gambler should not blame someone else for his or her own misfortune. Drunkenness and gluttony result in poverty! These people drink and live a riotous life of excesses to the poor house. Who is to blame? Society?...the neighborhood?...the educational system?...capitalism?.., no, the individual! All people are accountable for their own profits and losses. Proverbs 23:20-21 declares, “Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.”

Sadly, we often hear people blame businesses or our economic system for the plight of the poor. However, most have no one to blame but themselves. Though the Bible does not promise that avoiding these points will always prevent poverty, it does promise that those who fall prey to these things will be materially, morally, and spiritually poor.

Donald Underwood
Linda Vista, Ca.