I've been observing the world around me lately. Watching how children behave in public settings can sometimes be appalling. You watch the temper tantrum, misbehavior, or bad attitude and smart aleck speech and wonder what is going on. Then --- you watch the parent and realize the child is a product of their raising! It all becomes clear as you fight to refrain from disciplining the parent and reminding them that they should have set the example. Usually, I shake my head and pray for that family and the future of our world as I walk away. Sometimes I remember to invite them to church with one of our tracts but often I forget to do that in haste to make myself scarce from the situation.
Of course, this is nothing new. I've been observing these situations for years but just wanted to blog about it for a moment or two. It is so very true that a child learns what they live! You CANNOT tell a child to "do as I say, not as I do" and expect that to work for very long. - Certainly, not as they grow and mature.
A child who lives with criticism will learn to be critical. A child who is surrounded by negativism will be negative in their viewpoint. A child who lives with anger and hostility will become angry and hostile. A child who lives with secrets will learn to be sneaky. A child who lives with hatred learns to hate others who are different than them. Children who live with indifference learn to be uncompassionate. Children who have everything given they ask for or watch the parent make choices of indulgence become selfish individuals who think they are entitled to whatever they want, whenever they want it.
Parents should live their lives in the manner in which they want their child to behave. This is a very convicting and sobering thought! The old children's song "Oh be careful little eyes what you see. Oh be careful little eyes what you hear" really comes into play in parenting. If the child must be careful then the parent must be careful what they say and emulate so that the child can be protected from what they see and hear! For as the Bible says "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Acts 4:20
If imitation is a form of flattery then let's give children and others something to imitate! The most important thing for us to imitate is Christ. We are to be living in godly character. Philippians 2:14-16 - Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 - That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 - Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Paul said this to the Philippian church.
Matthew 5:16 - Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Just a thought provoker to help us realize that we need to live in the way we want our children and others to live.
