Inside Perspective - January 2015
My Dear Family in Christ,
Ever precious greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ!
Imagine moving into a new neighborhood with your
family and immediately having your children invited to the “neighbor's” house on
the corner. Everybody in the neighborhood raves about this family. One day you
take time to visit this family and discover that they are actually pretty nice.
Not only that, you notice that almost all the kids in the neighborhood go to
their house on a regular basis. So after some consideration, you finally agree
to let your children spend some time there.
The first few visits seem to go nicely. Your children
come home all excited about the fun things they did and talk about how your
“neighbors” are really neat playmates. They talk for hours about what they did,
who they met, and how much they like the “neighbors”. Though, after a while, you
begin to notice a change in your children. It seems that following each visit
with the “neighbors”, your children come home a little more morose and a little
bit more withdrawn. Eventually, when you ask them what they did at the
“neighbor's” house each day, they just shrug their shoulders and say, “I don't
know”. It gets worse when the “neighbors” plan games for your children on the
weekends without your permission and now your family time is further invaded.
One Saturday, you are having a meal with your
children, and you remind them of church the next day. Suddenly, your son blurts
out, “I don't want to go to church anymore! Our 'neighbors' say there is no God!
They say people who believe in God are morons and that they will believe in
anything, even fairies and leprechauns”. You are shocked and cannot believe what
your child has just told you. You then ask, “Just what else are our 'neighbors'
filling your heads with?”
Well, for the next two hours your children tell you
all about what the “neighbors” think. Your “neighbors” don't believe in
creation; they believe that people evolved from slime. The earth, according to
your “neighbors”, is a living, breathing god that must be worshipped and cared
for at all costs, even if it inconveniences or hurts the human population. They
believe that there is no right or wrong, no absolutes, and no such thing as
judgment. They have told your children that they alone must make their decisions
and choose what is right or wrong in their own eyes, no matter what anyone else
thinks, including parents. They believe being married is an old fashioned
concept and that sex apart from marriage is the sensible approach. “How else,”
they argue, “can you be sure that you are compatible?” They even believe that
sex is fine with anyone, anytime and anywhere. If that isn't enough, they have
been telling your children that men having sex with men and women having sex
with women is perfectly acceptable. They have even encouraged your children to
think of it as a viable option for themselves! When your children have expressed
opinions contrary to the “neighbors” or questioned their belief system, they
have informed your children that they are narrow thinkers and intolerant.
It is written, “And I will give you Pastors according
to My heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” (Jer.3:15)
So what would you do if you if these were your
children and you were the parent? Would you ever let your children go near the
“neighbor’s” house again? Of course not!! Then why do parents let their children
drink of the TV's filth? This very scenario I am describing takes place every
day, subjecting our children to a daily dose of the “neighbor’s” kindness. I am
convinced that today’s parents do love their children, so why would they allow
this abuse? Even worse, and by way of example, most parents are themselves
drinking heavily from the same unholy fountain? It has been said, “like father,
like son...”
Is it because parents have gotten used to the free
time they have while their children are at the “neighbors”? Has convenience won
over Truth? Has the Bible no meaning? Is Truth gone from the earth? Sure, having
our children daily visit the “neighbors” provides some undeniable “benefits”.
Parents can use the time to shop, go back to school, and even to get an extra
job to bring home more money to buy an even bigger TV!
Even when parents realize that the friendship and bond
they used to share with their children has been systematically destroyed, they
refuse to cut off the visits! Stronghold alert!! Just the thought of keeping
their children away from the “neighbors” is unsettling because parents would
then have to admit just how much they themselves love the “neighbor’s” house
too! There is now a wall or barrier between the parent and the child that seems
impenetrable and the only time the relationship is good is when they are both at
the "neighbor’s” house together! What's more, for years the “neighbors” have
convinced parents to ignore the impact of these visits to the “neighbor’s” house
on their children. That hasn't been that hard though, because after all, parents
have taught their children that the “neighbors” are nice people who mean well…
right?
Has it occurred to anyone that it might be time to
stop visiting the “neighbors” so much? How shall we lead our children in the Way
Everlasting when we ourselves are going in the other direction? Beloved, with
that thought in mind, tweak yourself, have a blessed New Year and beware of...
“THE NEIGHBORS”!
LOVE,
PHILIP
*The storyline is not original but has been adapted from an unknown author*