 |
The Vanishing Family
While shopping in
Wal-Mart recently with my wife Joy, we ran into a school teacher that
had worked with her. She stated that she was eligible for retirement,
but she kept on working because of the potential good influence she
could have over her students. This is a quality that every good teacher
possesses, the desire to help others.
During the short conversation that we had with this teacher she stated
that out of twenty students in her class only four had two parents at
home. That is right here in middle Tennessee, not some distant state or
country. The family as God would have it is quickly disintegrating in
our country, our state, and even our own town. There are a lot of
factors that may figure into this problem, but the major one is the
absence of God in most people's lives.
The first chapter of Romans describes the downward spiral of those who
reject God. It is an ugly picture and one that has been repeated time
after time throughout history. If we would only learn from history as
God would have us to, then we would not have to suffer through so many
heart-wrenching situations in our lives.
The family, as many of us who are older know it, is vanishing. More and
more children are being raised by one of their parents or by their
grand-parents. This is not healthy for the children involved, the
parent, the grandparents, or society in general.
God's word teaches that fathers and mothers are to raise their own
children (Eph. 6:4; Titus 2:4-5). These children are to grow,
marry, and have a family of their own (Gen. 2:24). There are
circumstances that require one parent to raise the children alone, such
as the death of one of the parents. In this case, it is better for the
widow to remarry and continue to live as God's word teaches (1 Tim.
5:14).
Even in many two-parent families today the children are not raised by the
parents. A
babysitter, pre-school, or someone other than the parents are doing the
majority of the rearing of the children; thus they are having more
influence over the children than the parents. Parents comfort themselves
by rationalizing that the little time they do spend with their children
is "quality" time. However, a generation is raised that does not know
what real family life is like and when they become parents, they will
likely continue the lifestyle they have been taught.
Where is the family? Dad's working overtime. Mom has a job that she's
going to quit soon. The children are engaged in activities designed to
keep them busy till mom and dad get home. And, with all the things that
mom and dad are able to buy with their extra money, the children ought
to be happy. In fact, if mom and dad have time this summer and are able
to take their vacations at the same time, the family may spend a week
together.
How many "Christian" households does this sound like? As Paul told the
Ephesians, "wake up" and redeem the time that has been wasted. Our
children will soon be grown and gone. What will we have taught them?
Think on these things!
--Andy Alexander
Guardian of Truth XXXVII: 11, p. 1
June 3, 1993
|
|
