‘Twas a sheep not a lamb
And so with the sheep we earnestly plead
For the sake of the lambs today,
For when sheep are lost, what a terrible cost
The lambs will have to pay!
And so with the sheep we earnestly plead
For the sake of the lambs today,
For when sheep are lost, what a terrible cost
The lambs will have to pay!
When everyone else is compromising, will you be UNcompromising?
Are you willing to be the fuddy-duddy, the stick-in-the-mud, the square, the goody-two-shoes, the odd-man-out, the weirdo, the fanatic, the moron, the dinosaur, the last Christian standing?
Are you willing to suffer ALONE?
Rest assured, I do believe there are systemic issues plaguing black men. These issues are violence, criminality, and immorality, to name a few. And all of these issues are rooted in and connected to the epidemic of fatherlessness. Any truly gospel-centered response to the plight of black men must address these issues first and foremost. It does no good to change the way white police officers respond to black men if we don’t first address the fact that these men’s fathers have not responded to them appropriately.
His children had behaved badly for many years, despite many warnings, and it was time for them to “experience” Fatherly correction. But the correction was not without purpose, it was not borne of anger. Rather, as a good father, the correction that God was about to inflict was meant to help them change from doing evil to doing good: God wanted them to become the best children they could be.
We cannot expect our children to grow up and follow Christ if we as parents do not follow Christ! Our kids are with us for 18 years 24/7, they see us at our worst and our best. They see us when no one else is around to impress with our “godly” behavior. Our children know, probably more than anyone just how much we love and follow Jesus.
It is the father who points the “arrows” (his children) and sends them on their journey (Psalm 127:4-5) through life. And, it is the good father that uses God’s word to shape the arrows before they are sent.
Even the world acknowledges that what we learn as children sticks in our minds for life, so what is more important that making sure that little ones learn God’s Word and that it is in their hearts?
As Jesus sent His disciples out into a world that would be hostile to them, that would imprison them and beat them and kill them, what they needed to succeed wasn’t a new car, or perfect teeth or a retirement plan. What they needed to live successfully (as God defines it) was The Comforter.
We often miss our most important responsibility to our children: cultivating the soil of their heart… and planting the seed of God’s Word in it.
Wisdom for living is ONLY found in the WORD of God and only the Holy Spirit can guide us through life. So, let us “clothe” our children in the scarlet Blood of Jesus Christ so that they will be prepared for the harshest winters of life.