Lessons from the Heart
Our children and threat levels
By Matt Stump

Stump

The health and welfare of our children's souls is at the red level! Many of us have grown to follow the Department of Homeland Security's terrorism color code. Since it's conception after Sept. 11, 2001, the majority of its status has been on yellow or elevated. We can watch the ticker at the bottom of our favorite news network and about every four minutes or so we can see the status or threat level of terrorism in our country.

But just for a moment, imagine a ticker scrolling across the forehead of any youth that you know. The color code for their souls would overwhelmingly read red or severe level. Which brings us to the point, what is the focus of your parental priorities? If you are the parent of a young child or a teenager, I am sure that your defenses are up by now. Yes, I am calling you out because you are your child's homeland security. There are many "terrorists" that are taking a strong aim at your child. We see this in statistics that say teenage alcohol consumption is at an all-time high, teenage drug use is astronomical. Teenagers engaging in sexual activity are also at an extremely high level.

We see teenagers turning to lying, cheating, and quitting rather than honesty, integrity, and perseverance. But let's examine the disciplines of today - parental figures. Divorced and broken families are now the majority of family units in this country. Children growing up without a father present, because of overworking, selfishness, and/or lack of responsibility, has become common place in families.

Churches are becoming empty because church has become a choice rather then a demand in a child's life; yet we are quick to force our kids to do homework, go to school, and be involved in sports or other extra-curricular activities.

A moral child is thought to be one who once in a while cleans his/her room.Yet back talking and arguing are acceptable traits of a child who is just expressing himself. The majority of parents in this country show children that lying, cheating, not getting caught, and quitting are okay. Is it any wonder that honesty, integrity, and perseverance are becoming extinct?

I challenge you, parents, to recognize the threat level of your child's soul. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, many churches reported a huge upward attendance spike. It was our fear that brought us to church. The terrible attacks will never be forgotten, but I say that something worse is on the horizon, a society that is based on immoral values. Whether one acknowledges this fact or not, one day we all will stand in judgment before God. Parents, teenagers, pastors, everyone will be called forth.

How are we raising our children to respond to this moment? Report card grades, how many touchdowns they scored, what their school activities were, how popular they are - will not matter. Did they know Jesus? Did they walk in His ways? How will you raise them to respond to these questions?

Matt Stump is youth minister at the Flora-Bringhurst United Methodist Church.

Pray for our nation to seek God

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5 Pd. Adv.