Israel: The Next Generation

Should respect and courtesy be taught in elementary, middle, and high school classes along with writing and arithmetic? At the end of the last century ten states mandated that character education be included in the school curriculum and legislation; the issue was pending in many more states. A Gallup Poll found that two thirds of American adults favored moral education in public schools. The Department of Education awarded approximately $22.5 million in grants for character education programs in public schools since 1995. Not so long ago, the idea that “values” should be taught in public schools was anathema. Some oppose it, on the grounds that teaching values is akin to proselytizing, and whose values should be taught, anyway? The debate has changed significantly since then, as progressive values began to take up more and more of the educational agenda. Amazing what a difference a single generation can make. . . But the original question remains even more relevant today.

In the 40 years between 1960 and 2000 the family in our society changed drastically. There was a 400% increase in the divorce rate and a 200% increase in the number of children raised in single parent homes. Over 70% of pre-school age children had mothers who worked outside the home, and 80% of school age children came home each day to an empty house. The phrase “traditional family” means one mom, one dad, one marriage, children from that marriage only. But guess what? The traditional family is no longer typical. Only 1 out of 6 people in America fit into that category. The other 83% range from blended to broken to single-parent to who knows what. It shouldn’t take a social psychologist to recognize that the deterioration of the traditional family has hit the children the hardest. But unfortunately, until the social scientists start proving with statistics what most ordinary people already knew in their hearts, people just don’t want to listen.

In 1946, a poll was taken of high teachers, asking them to name the top offenses their students committed. They were:

1. talking

2. chewing gum

3. making noises

4. running in the halls

5. getting out of turn in line

6. wearing improper clothing and

7. not putting paper in the waste basket.

You can tell these teenagers were out of control. 50 years later what do you think the top offenses committed by teenagers are? In order, they are. . .

1. rape

2. robbery

3. assault

4. burglary

5. arson

6. murder

7. suicide.

We live in a different world, don’t we. Most would agree that the ideal for families is still the biblical model, but the fact is that 83% of Americans fall into a different category. And it all happened in 40 years.

A lot happened during the 40 years between the parting of the Red Sea and the arrival of the Israelites at the River Jordan, too. The generation that had refused to trust in God had died off; the new generation had spent their lives being led by God, fed by God, and taught by God. Now they were going to be entrusted with the next step of their journey, that of building a nation whose motto “In God We Trust” would be more than just a slogan.

Central to the success of that endeavor would be teaching the children. Because everything that God had given the Israelites would be lost if it could not be transmitted down through the generations, the instructions Moses gave them for how to do that were comprehensive and explicit. Their ability to equip their children to survive and prosper was not dependent upon having had obedient ancestors; they hadn’t. All they needed was to follow God’s instructions - from then on. Because of that, everything that we need to restore a lost generation to the blessings of God can be found in this same chapter.

Whatever kind of family situation you have, traditional or blended or single parent or something else, there are things you can do to help the people you love not only survive but prevail against the destructive pressures of society. The three principles for transmitting sound values found in this chapter help fireproof the healthy child, and help heal the wounded one.

Furthermore, these principles don't just apply to small children. Whatever age your children may be - even if they're grown and out of the house - you can use these principles to improve your relationship.

1. Encourage your children talk to you about God.

Because our spiritual life is so personal, sometimes it's hard to talk about it, especially for men. Unless you were raised with a tradition of leading family devotions, little in the American man’s upbringing has prepared you to talk about anything much beyond the superficial. However, in order to transmit Biblical values, both parents have to open up about things that may not be easy to talk about. For example, your children need to know that you pray. They need to know that you worship. They need to know that you love God.