RE: SPIRITUAL FOOD 4 THOUGHT - GOD'S PLAN FOR PASSING ON THE FAITH TO OUR CHILDREN
I think it really can't be underestimated how important it is to keep our children with us and be the example they need. They need to stay close for quite a long time. As soon as we start sending them away or placing their education in anyone else's hands, we start putting the formation of their understanding in jeopardy.
So often it seems like the root of the falling away comes from children just being too far from strong faithful parents - the behavior of a predator is always to separate the babies from the herd and kill them and Satan is called a roaring lion.
And another big problem is when parents are hypocritical in their belief, making their children become hard-hearted and cynical.
The two edged sword of faith destruction in our kids...
Wow, I've heard "divide and conquer," but you take that up another level!
It does sound pretty melodramatic: but honestly, it seems the whole focus of our society is to separate children from their parents for teaching purposes; and if you look at a family where the parents are really good and the kids are a mess, a common theme is that the parents sent their children somewhere for a good education.
The young are weak. Separate them from the strong and they are easier prey.
Same goes for our kids. They have mushy brains and mushy characters still. They are susceptible.
When my parents decided not to put me and my siblings in school, they did it because they felt that God had given us to them and they were responsible for teaching us and they couldn't be responsible if they were separated from us seven or eight hours a day. They couldn't be teaching us when they walked along the road or sat in their homes if we weren't actually with them and they knew God would want an accounting from them not from a teacher. If they allowed us to be separated from them and for us all to be separated from each other, then they could no longer conduct their responsibilities properly.