Our Indifferent Fathers And Their Self-Governing Children

1 Samuel 3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.

A father, as the head of the family, should have an authoritative voice in the home. He plays no small role in training his children. If children are left unsupervised, they'll look for an authoritative voice that is available outside his home. We hope these voices are making a positive impact in our societies, if not, their overriding influence on these children might mean a father could be rearing monsters under his roof.

Some would boast of having succeeded with laissez-faire leadership as children are taught how to be independent in life; they take their own decisions and bear the consequences that accompany them. But this leadership style is not what the Bible recommends, neither is its extreme opposite—autocracy and its regimented home.

The above Scripture tells us the leadership of Eli in the home was under scrutiny. GOD becomes unhappy when fathers give their children so much space that they are no longer able to call them to order. It's all clear that Eli could have restrained and helped to control the obnoxious behaviour of his children but he just didn't. How then should fathers lead in their homes? Let's go back to the Bible and see what GOD said about Abraham.

Genesis 18:19, "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD..." As children grow up, they need a guide, and so the responsibility of a father goes beyond providing a comfortable home and a decent meal for his children. He has a spiritual responsiblity of leading his children in the godly path. His words should match his actions (Matthew 23:2 & 3). A father should possess the rare ability to tactfully address issues regarding his children in the home. This will help children to receive discipline without becoming rebellious.

OUR TEARLESS MOTHERS AND THEIR DEFENCELESS CHILDREN

Jeremiah 31:15, Thus says the Lord: "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children because they are no more"

One of the spiritual roles of a Christian mother is to intercede for her children. Oftentimes, this role is exclusively reserved for mothers because of their strong affection for their children. But mothers of today are becoming more of career women than praying women.

They have abandoned their prayer closets and as a result of their broken fellowship with the SPIRIT, they hardly have a premonition of what the future holds for their children. In pursuing her insatiable ambitions, she has, inadvertently, sacrificed the spiritual wellbeing of her children on the altar of feminism.

Today's woman, in a bid to achieve the status of a superwoman has had her spiritual senses numbed. She is so busy to detect the subtle plan of the enemy to trespass the borders of her home in order derail the faith of her children. She brings to the attention of her husband the need of the children for an extra tuition at home but seldom shows a worrisome demeanor about the wretched spiritual life of her children— i.e if she notices it at all. Alas, her children are academically peerless but spiritually defenceless.

If children will be kept from the onslaught of depravity in this generation, then our mothers would've to run back to their prayer closet. In verses 16 and 17, GOD promised to bring back the children of a grief-stricken Rachel who had refused to be comforted when she realised that her children had been taken away as captives. Oh GOD, give us praying mothers who'll pray their children out of worldliness.

OUR MYOPIC CHURCH LEADERS AND THEIR VULNERABLE SUNDAY SCHOOL CHILDREN

Matthew 19:13-15, Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

The disciples rebuked the parents who brought their children to JESUS. They thought to themselves that JESUS had no time for children as they publicly rebuked and resisted these parents, perhaps, saying, "Take these children away. We're dealing with fully grown men here. He's got no time for kids!" But JESUS told them to allow the children come to HIM.

Our church leaders of today do not also have time for the children. In most churches the children are given so much time to play and loiter about. Whiles we are waiting for the children to grow before we preach to them, the enemy is working on sowing his wild seeds in these vulnerable children. And of course, he doesn't need them now, he'll come for his harvest twenty years from now. By then, they'd be old enough to rebel and cause us pain.

The church has refused to see the long-term plan of the world. The world wants to get its stuff into the children in their formative years so that when they're of age the church cannot easily undo the damage. The decision to concentrate on the adults alone in church will come back to bite us some years to come.

In view of this, the church has to come up with strategies that are inspired by the SPIRIT to foil the corrupt attack of the enemy on the souls of our children. Our Sunday School teachers must be oriented to address topical issues concerning children and our services restructured to put the fear of GOD in their hearts. We owe these children so much as a church. We also have to pray for them like Paul did: Galatians 4:19, "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you."

Deuteronomy 6:6-9, "And these words which I command you... you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way... You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

What are you watching with your children? What do you talk about with them? What do you paste on the walls of your home? We have to get the word of GOD on everything around us. Are the children you're raising going to be a menace to the society? To parents and would be parents, let us all help in raising responsible children who will stand for CHRIST and help build our nation.