WHAT DO WE TELL THE CHILDREN?
Ecclesiastes 3:8
- Ecclesiastes 3:8 says that there is a time for war and a time for peace.
On Wednesday night of this past week, United States forces, in response to orders given by President George Bush, launched an armed attack on the nation of Iraq. The next morning in the “Readers Views” section of the Orlando Sentinel the following letter from a reader entitled “What will we tell the children?” was printed.
It reads:
“As we tuck our children into bed at night, we hope they will grow into strong, healthy, caring adults. We imagine them going off to college, getting married, pursuing careers, having children of their own. In the process of their growing, we teach them vital lessons about how to cooperate with others and how to resolve conflict peacefully without the use force. We tell them fighting is not nice, being a bully is wrong, hurting others is not acceptable.
I wonder what our children will be thinking as they watch the media images of war, as the camera zooms in on broken and bloodied bodies, as Iraqi women cry in agony as they clutch the lifeless bodies of their children. I wonder what our children will think when their fathers, brothers, cousins, uncles and neighbors march one by one onto the battlefield?
Do you think Iraqi mothers tuck their children into bed at night, hoping they will grow into strong, healthy, caring adults – educated, married, employed and having children of their own? I wonder what their children will think when they hear the bombs dropping around them? . . .
I have heard it said that this is a ‘defining’ moment in history. Define for me what lessons are we teaching our children? Are they lessons of lies, hate and destruction? . . . "
It is an interesting question. In times like these, what are we to tell the children?
My friends, I believe there are six primary lessons we must teach, six things we must tell our children. Number one, I know, “I’d rather live in the United States than in Iraq.
I. I’D RATHER LIVE IN THE United States THAN Iraq
- Psalm 33:12
Why would I rather live in the United States than Iraq?, because as a nation founded by Christians and on Christian principles, America has been blessed by God.
We could, for instance, talk of the beauty God has blessed us with in America. We could speak for an hour about the beauty of the coastlines that ring our nation. We could talk about the beauty of the St. John’s River flowing between its palm-lined banks, or the sun rising through the morning mists in the Smokie Mountains. We could talk about the Indiana corn fields, or the wheat lands of the mid-west, or the beauty of an elk herd grazing in Colorado. We could speak of the Grand Canyon, the Great Redwood forest, or Glacier National Park, but we have no time.
We could talk about the material blessings God has given us in this country. We could talk about the clothes hanging in our closets, our two-car garages, and the struggle with our weight; but we have no time for so lengthy a list.
No, we don’t have the time to discuss many of our blessings, so we will mention just a couple. In America women have rights and freedom. In most Islamic countries they do not. In many Islamic nations, if a woman is raped, she is frequently killed by her family to restore the family honor.
I’d rather live in America because God has blessed us with freedom of speech. In many Islamic countries, the press is controlled by the government and dissidents are jailed.
I’d rather live in America because God has blessed us with freedom of religion.
. You don’t have someone calling out in our cities 5 times a day telling us it’s time to pray and checking to make sure you do. You can choose the religion of your choice, or you can choose to have no religion at all. I thank God for our religious freedom.
I’d rather live in America because God has blessed us with unity. Our last presidential election was one of the most controversial in history, and yet you saw no military coup, you saw no troops called out and stationed around the country in order to keep the people in line. We may argue and fight like brothers and sisters, but God has kept us a family.
I’d rather live in America because God has blessed us in so many ways that people from around the world are buying, stealing, and forging visas in an attempt to get here.
A Baghdad resident was quoted on the news saying, “Our God will help us win this war.” The only problem with that statement is that I, a United States citizen am praying that my God will help us win the war and my God is bigger than yours.
What will we tell the children? First we’ll tell them we’d rather live in America than Iraq because “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
II. I’D RATHER FOLLOW BUSH THAN SADDAM
- Proverbs 29:2
Several weeks ago, Newsweek Magazine featured as its cover article, George Bush’s Christian faith. The magazine received more letters about that article, the majority negative, than any of its articles in some time.
President Bush recently said that he prayed daily for the safety of United States troops and innocent Iraqis. He also prays, he said, for guidance, wisdom and strength. I tell you, I would rather follow a Christ-seeking president than I would an ego-building dictator.
I would rather follow a president that prays for his troops than one who threatens his soldiers and their families with death.
One of the singers from the group “The Dixie Chicks” recently said that she was embarrassed to say that George Bush came from her state.
Let me tell you, I’d rather follow Bush than Saddam because you can say that about our president and live to tell about it. In Iraq insulting the president is punishable by death. If you were lucky you would be killed. If not, he might let his son rape and torture you. Political prisoners are subjected to electric shock, beatings, burnings, and rape.
Former citizens of Iraq now living in the United States report that as members of the Iraqi Olympic team, they were often beaten and imprisoned by Saddam’s son if they missed a goal or lost a game.
In 1987 and ‘88, Saddom used nerve gas against the Kurds in the north, killing tens of thousands of men, women and children. He has sent his troops against the Madan people known as Marsh Arabs. When he came to power there 500,000 living in southern Iraq, today, only 10,000 remain.
After the Gulf War, the United Nations imposed economic sanctions on Iraq until they disarmed. Saddom was told the sanctions would be removed as soon as he disarmed. Today, Iraqi unemployment runs 50%. More than 1 in 8 Iraqi children dies before age 5 from preventable diseases, but Saddam has chosen to spend the country’s “Oil for food” income on weapons instead of taking care of his citizens.
Me? I’ll take a praying president over a posing dictator, anytime. What do we tell the children? Tell them you’d rather follow Bush than Saddom because “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when a wicked man rules the people groan.
III. GOD SOMETIMES USES WAR
There has been a lot said about Christians being peaceable people and about the importance of turning the other cheek. My friends > Ecclesiastes 3:8 says, There is a “time for war and a time for peace.”
- Romans 13:1-7
In Romans we are told that “government” is ordained by God for a purpose. The primary duty of civil government is indicated here. It is not welfare. It is not the reallocation of wealth. It is not merely to maintain roads and oversee other public works. It is not to educate our children. The Primary Duty of civil government is law enforcement. It is to punish evildoers so they can’t harm other people; and to deter would-be evil-doers by firm and swift punishment for all. (Terrorism, Jihad, and the Bible, John MacArthur, 2001, p 95).
Governors, policemen, soldiers, and duly constituted officials who represent the government’s authority are authorized to use violence to protect law-abiding citizens. When a foreign nation attacks America, or supports, supplies, or equips those that do, they have struck a blow against an institution of God and our government has a divine mandate to wield the sword to bring justice to those responsible, even if that means going to war.
What do we tell the children” Tell them some things are worth fighting for. Tell them God sometimes uses war.
IV. EVENTS HAPPEN TO POINT US TOWARD GOD
- Acts 17:26-28
Tell them that all events, the rising & falling of nations, etc. are designed to point us to God. . . .
V. WE SHOULD _OBEY_ AND _PRAY_
> Romans 13:1-2 Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
- 1 Timothy 2:1-2
The Bible says that our responsibility to our government, unless it commands to do something which contradicts the Word of God, is to obey it. Our responsibility does not afford us the right to march in the streets, distracting our law enforcement officers who should be spending their time guarding against terrorists instead of clearing traffic snarled by protestors. It does not allow us the right to waste policemen’s time, and thus our tax dollars, on things like clearing demonstrators, when many cities’ budgets are already suffering due to the war on terrorism and a declining economy. The says that as Christian citizens we are to obey and second we are to pray.
You and I, and our children have been given the responsibility to pray for those in authority . . . Pray for our leaders. Many Law Enforcement Officers have had their vacations cancelled, and many are working a lot of overtime. Pray for their families. . .
VI. WE MUST GET READY REGARDLESS
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Whether in Iraq or at home, in war or in bed, everyone is going to die. You had best get ready.
A – Admit you’re a sinner
B – Believe Jesus is God’s Son
C – Confess your sins,
Call unto Him.
3 men were arguing about the best time to cut a walking stick. The first said the best time was in the spring when the sap was rising. A walking stick cut at such a time would be strong but supple. Another declared that the best time to cut the stick was in the summer, for then the wood would be at the very top of its form. 3rd, in fall when sap had matured the wood. Servant asked, the best time is when you see it because it might not be there the next time.
(Knight’s Master Book of New Illustrations. reprint 1990, p 519)
The same is true with salvation.
