Proverbs 22:5-6
In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them. Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
If you have ever attended a graveside service, you may recall that there are always a limited number of chairs reserved for the immediate family members of the deceased. It is so distressing, and revealing, when young children rush to be seated while relatives with obvious physical limitations are left standing. Meanwhile, the parents of the inconsiderate children stand by with smiles on their faces.
I have no idea why parents have lost control of their children, especially in our current culture, but they have. If we look into God’s Word, we learn that it is not the responsibility of the children, but the parents to establish discipline and direction. (Sometimes, the children seem to act more adult than their parents.)
Is the situation hopeless? I don’t think so, but it certainly requires that we face the issue directly. We need to start sharing the powerful Word of God concerning the subject. The answer is not some idea conceived by a behavioral scientist, but by what God ordains that the relationship with the younger generation should be. “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
We cannot suddenly transform an entire generation and cause it to show proper respect, but we can start by being an example ourselves and encouraging others to do the same. When was the last time you went out of your way to show respect to a clerk in a checkout line? When was the last time you picked up your phone to call someone who had impacted your life to tell them how much you appreciated them? Respect is taught by God’s Word, but it is patterned by our actions. What actions have you been patterning?
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
—Pastor Cecil