Who Is Going To Be Responsible For This Child?

“Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.” 2 Corinthians 12:14

Paul speaks of a financial responsibility, but this grows out of a larger principle of general parental responsibility.

Deut 6:4-9 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.  6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.  9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.  (KJV)

Over a month has passed since the Columbine H. S. shootings. The grieving process contines to play itself out. Just ahead, however, the grief will turn to anger, and the lawsuits will come. Two sets of parents are about to discover how much responsibility they had for the actions of their sons. Strife has torn every community apart that has suffered these multiple school shootings.

Parental responsibility cannot be something we consider after the fact. If parents would sit down and take a serious, sober look at their job now, they will probably change their tactics drastically. It cannot be left up to someone else.

If you leave it up to the schools… 

• Evolution is true,
• Everyone’s God is to be accepted
• Homosexuality is normal
• Old-fashioned values are wrong

If you leave it up to the streets…

• Cursing
• Smoking
• Drinking
• Drugs
• Fighting
• Gangs

If you leave it up to the television…

• Fashion
• Materialism
• Unrealistic expectations
• Perversion

If you leave it up to your family…

• Coddled, or cruel treatment
• Indulged or ignored,
• Worshipped or resented

If you leave it up to the neighborhood friends…

• Intense pressure to do wrong
• Stealing and shoplifting
• Firearms and bombs
• Selling dope
• Occult practices
• Ideas like neo-nazism

If you leave it up to chance…

• No discipline
• Inconsistent training
• Lack of true caring
• Unguarded influences
• Unregulated learing

When you leave your responsibilities up to anyone else…

• You will lose the trust that God gave to you
• You will lose control over the outcome
• You cannot be sure that the right things are being done

A child is a living, growing viable member of the human race. A child is another you! If you believe in God, if you believe in the Bible, if you believe in the future, then you must invest yourself into your child. Your child is…

• More valuable than a bank account
• More precious than an heirloom
• More treasured than a priceless antique
• More important to your future than anything else you have!

Who will step forward and say, my child is MY responsibility…not the schools, not the streets, not television, not family, not neighborhood friends, not chance?  Who will say I accept this responsibility and will invest my entire self into this child I helped to bring into this world?

Will Your Child Survive Childhood?

Hebrews 11:23-27 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

1. Infant mortality rate has been declining for many years.

2. The three leading causes of infant mortality are:

• a. Birth defects.
• b. Premature births.
• c. Sudden infant death syndrome.

3. Reasons for decline have to do with care for childbearing mothers.

• a. But after birth, it is too late to change the first two causes.
• b. SIDS remains a great fear, but we don’t know how to prevent it other than good supervision. (Perhaps sleeping on the back)

4. Other causes are within the realm of parents.

• a. Exposure
• b. Lack of supervision (carelessness) (poison, falling, traffic, etc.)
• c. No wisdom in discipline (shaking, beating, hurting)
• d. Mal-nourishment

5. Look at the spiritual applications.

a. Exposure.

• Television, movies, language, tobacco smoke, etc.
• You and your habits are part of your children’s environment.
• Parents must not shrug their shoulders and claim innocence.
• Expose your children to God, prayer, the bible, Sunday School.

b. Lack of supervision.

• If you are mature enough to bring children into the world, be mature enough to raise them right!
• Many accidents can be prevented through simply paying attention.
• Pay attention to your child’s spiritual development.

c. Wisdom in discipline.

• Spanking is not for angry, out-of-control moms and dads.
• The best discipline is pro-active, positive.
• If you do more time-in’s, you may not have to do so many time-outs!
• Time it for Jesus, Bible, Praying.

d. Mal-nourishment.

• No one should starve in this country.
• No one should starve spiritually when the Word of God is so plentiful!

Ps 92:13-14 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

Ps 19:7-14 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.  8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.  9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.  10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.  11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.  12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.  13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.  14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.  Ps 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.