Time For What?!
There is a disturbing development in our society today that has me greatly troubled. And I know that this will not set well with many folks. But hear me out. As a youth minister, one of the “mandate” scriptures that I return to again and again is in Deuteronomy 6:5-9.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Jesus, when asked by the scribes which was the greatest command, quoted these very verses. This tells me that we better be focusing real hard on these words. And this tells me that we better not miss it. But when I look at youth culture today, it doesn’t take me very long to recognize the fact that we are not diligently teaching this to our children.
There are a lot of things that we are diligently, and I mean diligently, teaching them. For example, we involve our kids in every activity available to them, from piano to soccer, drama to football, jobs to clubs, filling up every possible free moment of their lives. Even Sunday’s are no longer sacred. They are just as busy as any other day of the week. We make sure our kids know every play in the playbook. We are diligent to make sure they pass their English class. All of this leaves little room for church, youth ministry, discipleship, or family devotions, let alone any time for the necessity of cultivating a lasting, life-changing, and meaningful one on one relationship with Jesus. More times than not, kids barely drag themselves into church because they are so exhausted from everything else they’ve already done that week.
A lot of these activities are good things. But kids often need help in prioritizing what is truly important and in making wise decisions in how to use the precious commodity of time. And they’ve learned how to shove as many things into one 24-hour period as they can from the best – us!
We sit in the stands and cheer our kids on in their athletic pursuits. And that’s not particularly a bad thing. But are we cheering them on in their pursuit of things that will last into eternity as well? Or are we developing young people who will do anything to receive the praises of man…teenagers who, because of their success on an athletic field or a concert stage, develop a prideful heart that is no longer soft enough to receive instruction from God’s Word?
I truly am not trying to be harsh or insensitive, but I am seeing this become a real problem, even within the church! I have been sternly reminded in my times with the Lord that my first and foremost responsibility as a parent is to teach and train them in the things of the Lord – not just leave it to the Sunday school teacher or youth pastor. It’s MY job. I might crack the bat with my boys, but how often do I crack open the Word of God with them? I won’t miss a booster meeting and I won’t let my kid miss a practice, but if something else comes up on Sunday or Wednesday, well, no big deal. If we don’t make it a priority in our own lives and in the lives of our children, chances are neither will they now or when they are the adult. And that is a risk that we can’t afford to take.
We’ve only got a brief window of time with these precious children that the Lord has entrusted to our care. And once that time is gone, there are no re-do’s. Something for you to think about…