In the beginning the Lord created male and female and
instructed them to multiply and replenish the earth. He told them to look after
their children and teach them righteousness.
Our Heavenly Father placed the responsibility upon parents
to insure that their children are well fed, well groomed and clothed, well
trained and well taught. Most parents protect their children with shelter, they
tend and care for their diseases, provide clothes for their safety and their
comfort, and supply food for their health and growth. But what do they do for
their souls?
When children go off to school or to play with their
friends, parents cannot be totally sure of what the children are learning. But
if parents take time at home each evening to explain the gospel program to
their children, it will replace the negative things they may learn during the
day. As parents we know only to well the daily struggle it is to teach our
children the moral principles they need to live a life in the footsteps of God,
they do not learn this at school but in the home at the feet of their parents.
We like many generations before us must respond today to the wicked situation
that we find our children living in today, when such sins as same sex marriage,
gender swapping, bisexual relationships and other sinful and prideful
activities are encouraged in the world, we must stand firm on the foundation of
the gospel and teach correct and just morals to our children, if not all else
fails. If it were not for our size I would recommend that all children
belonging to this faith be educated at home or within the confines of a church
school, however our situation does not allow for this and so we must do as well
as we can. Do not despair. Parents can develop respect for others’
property and rights in their growing children by example and precept. Parents
who require their youngsters to apologise and return, perhaps even double or
triple, that which they have taken, broken, and destroyed, those children will
be honourable citizens and will bring honour and glory to their parents. Those
parents who themselves respect law and order and observe all the rules can, by
that example and by their expression of approval or disapproval, discipline and
protect their children against disorder and rebellion. Inner disciplines are
substituting for the outer ones as the outer ones become habitual and
effective. As one is obedient to his own sound principles, it is far more
important and gratifying than obedience to others.
We often find men capable of governing a world who cannot
rule their own household or the restless minds of their own children and cannot
control their own passions. Is it possible that the shocking irreverence of
many of the rising generation can be traced to the irreverence of their
parents? Can children be expected to be spiritual and religious and reverent if
their parents show no such interest themselves. As parents read the newspapers
and magazines and see what the world is trying to teach their children, they
should become all the more determined that their children not be influenced by
such sin and error. Parents should then provide the home life, the discipline,
and the training that will offset and neutralise the evil that is being done in
the world. As children learn of the ugly things in the world, they must also
learn of the good things in the world and the proper responses and proper
attitudes. If parents understand that many children do not have family prayers
and spiritual attitudes and proper teaching in their lives, then those parents
should redouble their energies and their efforts to see that their own children
receive good, wholesome training. Let us remember that the scriptures condemn
fathers and mothers when they fail to do their duty. Eli, the high priest, was
charged with the serious sins of his sons. The Lord whispered through Samuel,
“I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his
house. “Because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.”.
How sad it would be if the Lord should charge any of us as
parents with having failed to teach our children. Truly a tremendous
responsibility falls upon a couple when they bring children into the world. Not
only food, clothes, and shelter are required of them, but loving, kindly
disciplining, teaching, and training is required. For we are the guardians of
these beings, true we create the body but the true personage is and always will
be Gods and it is our duty to raise that personage that we have been blessed
with in the image of God and in his likeness, so that if he or his son were to
grace us with his presence we would no be ashamed of our conduct as parents,
for it is our responsibility for the way our children become adults we are the
ones who train them and if we neglect that training and do not do it in the
sight of God then woe be unto us at the day of judgement and woe be unto the
future generations that shall come after us.
I pray that we shall stand as guardians and teachers and
do as we have bee asked so that our young people grow to stand as we have stood
in the sight of God.
In The Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Matthew P. Gill
Prophet & First Elder
No comments:
Post a Comment