the basic message #E340
6/12/05
If you're a parent, do you hope your child will one day live in a cardboard box or under a bridge? Before you answer, read on.
My children are now aged 22 and 25, but I still worry about them, like any good father should. Parenting issues change as children age and mature, but we can be sure that our children will face challenges in life, and like it or not, we, as parents, will usually try to come to their rescue. At the risk of belaboring this subject, let's take a look at where most of us begin as parents before going through the various stages of parenthood.
These days, parenting begins long before the baby is born. When my children came along, we didn't have ultrasounds that revealed whether the baby was a boy or a girl, and we didn't have tests to determine whether the baby would be born with a disability. Perhaps we were blessed to lack that knowledge, since some people will now elect to abort a baby that isn't "perfect", and in some cases will abort a baby that is the "wrong" sex. That's sad. Most parents-to-be will begin to plan for the arrival of their little bundle of joy, starting with the basics: crib, toys, clothes, diapers, etc. Not long after the baby is born, we parents will quickly begin to think about the future of little junior. Perhaps it's a sign of our American wealth that some parents start to save for their child's college education before the baby even begins to talk. Don't get me wrong, I think it's wonderful to plan for a child's future, but which future are we actually planning for, anyway?
Make no mistake, friends, we have two very different futures to contend with. The one that most of us think about is here on earth, while the other, and more important future deals with eternity. While this might seem like a "no-brainer" to most of you, is it really that simple? Let's get back to parenting for a moment.
Let's say, for instance, that you're one of these "super parents" that I see so much these days. A super parent, by my definition, is a parent who, for some reason, can't let their kids be kids. Instead of their child being able to simply ride their bike around the neighborhood or play silly games with the other kids, they have to be "busy" doing things like playing organized sports, or even worse, being "enriched" with tumbling and gymnastic classes, karate, and other common extracurricular activities. Please don't misunderstand- I think it's great to give kids an opportunity to improve their lives and skills, but not at the expense of giving up their childhood. As I write this, the world awaits the jury's decision in the Michael Jackson case. I think Jacko is a prime example of what happens to a kid that's not allowed to be a kid. God has a very simple, yet wonderful plan for our lives on this earth. He just wants infants to be infants, children to be children and adults to be adults. There is a time and season for everything, and when we goof-up God's plan, things go haywire. The classic mid-life crisis that causes men to divorce their wives and buy a red sports car is a real phenomenon. Traits that have traditionally been associated with men like aggressive driving, ambition in overdrive and ruthless behavior are now quite common in women. But I digress- I'm talking about parenting.
I'll wrap things up with the simple question I began with: Do you hope your child will one day live in a cardboard box or under a bridge? Hold your answer for one moment longer while I add to that question. If, given the choice, would you prefer that your child grow up to one day live in a cardboard box or under a bridge and have the assurance of Heaven, or would you rather your child be well-rounded and ultimately very successful, but ultimately become a resident of Hell? "What a ridiculous question", some will retort, but is it so ridiculous? If you're sure of your parenting skills, do a little experiment. Offer up an earnest prayer to God that goes something like this: "Lord, I want the best for my child, like any good parent, but my number one hope for them is to one day inhabit Heaven with you. Therefore I ask you to lead me and guide me in raising my child. Enlighten me with the knowledge you want me to have to make the right decisions for my child."
Can you pray that prayer?