Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
The family that plays together stays together.
The family that worships together stays together.
The family that robs houses together . . . . Well, I would imagine there might be a different outcome to that one. According to an article carried by the Associated Press, a New York City father and mother were recently arrested for burglarizing homes. Armed and ready for action, the man broke into the houses, while his girlfriend drove the getaway minivan.
In the van were two children: a four-year-old and a five-month-old.
For a long time, I tried to figure out how to put a positive spin on this couple. You know the old adage: put the best construction on everything. The best I could come up with is this: they are to be commended because they didn't get into a gun battle with the police when they were cornered. That's it.
All of this takes me back to the book of Proverbs where it says our job as adults is to train up children in the right way. That means encouraging them to walk the Lord's path rather than their own road. It means bringing them to church rather than sending them to church. It means teaching them the Christian concepts of caring, commitment, and compassion. It means introducing them to the Savior.
While there is no 100-percent, money-back guarantee our children will turn out to be angels, I think their chances of success will be far better than if we showed them how to rob a house.
Because our children have been taught of the Savior and His great sacrifice upon the cross, I am sure their chance of a permanent home in heaven is, right now, far better than the children of this incarcerated couple.
That is the promise of Scripture: show and teach a child God's way, and he'll have a hard time forgetting it.
THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, be with all those children whose parents are setting a wrong example. Empower Christian homes so we may influence others and help direct the paths of the children entrusted to us. In Your Son's Name, I ask it. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible Readings: 1 Samuel 30-31 Luke 24:1-35
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