“… Brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report: if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8
I am certain that one reason I am in the church today is that I, as a ‘preachers kid’, never heard criticism of God’s children at home. In fact I never heard much criticism at all.
As long as the church is made up of people there will be problems. The churches my father pastored were made up of people – thus problems. I was sheltered from most of it. When I did hear of it – it was never from home.
When mother began to say something involving a “saint” in the church; my father would interrupt,”Helen, the children.”
What we respect, our children will respect. What we criticize, they will not respect. If you drive a Ford and “down grade” Chevy’s, your children will grow up to drive Fords.
If we openly criticize policemen, do not be surprised if your children break the law. If you openly question the school teacher’s methods, do not act shocked when the grades go down and the discipline problems go up.
If you talk disparagingly about a saint of God, your children will equate this to all saints of God.
I have known many people in the church down through the years who have had a critical spirit. When they find their children are not trusting of anyone and not serving the Lord, they wonder, ‘Why?’
One sure way to make certain your child will never serve the Lord is to have “roast preacher” for Sunday dinner.
There is enough cynicism in this world without adding to it. Our children will learn soon enough that the Church is made up of people who are not perfect, but let them learn it from others, not us. With all it’s imperfections, it is still the Body of Christ and shall be perfect at His coming.
Let us always point out, rather, that there are no better people than God’s people. That the Ministry is given by God to edify and to build us up. That all authority is ordained of God for our protection. That our God is big enough to take care of his church; to put people into leadership as well as take them out.
Let us never criticize that which we wish our children to respect.
“Love … Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” I Corinthians 13:6-7
You might also like these articles...
Mother, Don’t Sell Your Birth Right
Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children or else I die”. Genesis 30:1 NKJV The feminist movement of the last forty years have preached the message that woman in our society are treated as second rate citizens, and that they will…
And They Lived Happily Ever After!
“Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for any and every reason?” Matthew 19:3 NIV Happiness is not a commodity that comes wrapped as one of the wedding presents. Happiness in marriage does not just happen–it happens only when both partners work to make it happen. Happiness is more a matter…
Beware of Generational Drift – My Apostolic Heritage: Part II
“Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons; … Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my…