Who Is To Blame?

Colossians chapter 3

Some humor for you:

A mother took her three-year-old daughter to church for the first time. The church lights were lowered, and then the choir came down the aisle, carrying lighted candles. All was quiet until the little one started to sing in a loud voice, "Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you..."

Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday School. "Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his engineers build a pontoon bridge, and all the people walked across safely. He used his walkie-talkie to radio headquarters and call in an air strike. They sent in bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved." "Now, Joey, is that REALLY what your teacher taught you?" his mother asked. "Well, no, Mom, but if I told it the way the teacher did, you’d never believe it!"

Finding one of her students making faces at others on the playground, Mrs. Smith stopped to gently reprove the child. Smiling sweetly, the Sunday School teacher said, "Bobby, when I was a child, I was told if that I made ugly faces, it would freeze and I would stay like that." Bobby looked up and replied, "Well, Mrs. Smith, you can’t say you weren’t warned."

A six year old comes crying to his Mother because his little sister pulled his hair.

"Don’t be angry," the Mother says, "Your little sister doesn’t realize that pulling hair hurts."

A short while later, there’s more crying, and the Mother goes to investigate. This time the sister is bawling and her brother says... "Now she knows."

Sound familiar mom & dad. That sounds exactly like something I would’ve done when I was younger with my sister.

[Colossians 3:20] “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. [21] Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.”

From the Message translation:

“Children, do what your parents tell you. This delights the Master to no end. Parents, don’t come down too hard on your children or you’ll crush their spirits.”

We use the first part of this scripture a lot. At least I know my parents did. And rightly so, children do need to obey and honor their parents. For as it says, it pleases God.

I’m not going to deal with that part too much this morning.

But the part that is often left out is the next verse which is for you mom & dad.

Do not come down too hard or you will crush their spirits or discourage them. {read New Living Trans}

A lot of things get blamed on the youth and children of America and in our families, but they are not always the cause, sometimes just the symptoms.

Who Is To Blame

We read in the paper and hear on the air

Of killing and stealing and crime everywhere.

We sigh and say, as we notice the trend,

“This young generation... Where will it end?”

But can we be sure it is their fault alone?

Are we less guilty, who places in their way

Too many things that lead them astray?

Too much money, too much idle time;

Too many movies of passion and crime.

Too many books not fit to be read;

Too much evil in what they hear said.

Too many children encouraged to roam;

Too many parents who won’t stay home.

Kids don’t make the movies; they don’t write the books.

They don’t paint the pictures of gangsters and crooks.

They don’t make the liquor; they don’t run the bars.

They don’t make the laws, and they don’t make the cars.

They don’t peddle the drugs that muddle the brain.

That’s all done by older folks, greedy for gain.

Delinquent teenagers; oh how we condemn

The sins of the nation and blame it on them.

By the laws of the blameless, the Savior made known;

Who is among us to cast the first stone?

For in so many cases, it’s sad, but it’s true,

The title “delinquent” fits older folks too!

-anonymous-

I am not out today to point fingers or bring a sense of blame or guilt, but to help us realize that we are responsible to bring hope and love and a sense of truth to those around us, young and old.

It is my intent and desire to see our families strengthened by the love and power of God and a closeness to develop in our families like never before.

We cannot change the direction of the children and youth in America by pointing our fingers at them or by throwing our hands in the air in disgust and saying it’s hopeless.