They are the most precious inheritance we leave here on this earth in
every generation. Do we really understand the depth of our investment
and accountability in them in regards to their overall mental health and
well being? When I worked for a non-profit as a mental health
consultant for early childhood, I understood this to a deeper level than
what I ever believed before. We need to invest in our babies from the
very beginning and we need to guard them throughout their childhood
stubbornly and fiercely. If we do not teach our children to love and
fear the Lord in this lifetime, then we have failed in the job that God
gave us for such a time as this. And if we allow any harm to come to
them when we have every opportunity to protect them, woe to us. This is
our time as Dad and Mom's and Leaders. Never exploit the children, but
teach them in the way they should go.
While these commands were
given to the children of Israel and are still relevant, they are also
relevant to those that have been grafted in: the church.
"Here O
Israel: The Lord our God , the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with
all your heart and all your soul and with all your strength. These
commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress
them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when
you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie
them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write
them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy
6:4-9, NIV
...and then Jesus refers to little ones in the faith or children:
"Jesus
said to his disciples: 'things that cause people to sin are bound to
come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better
for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch
yourselves.'"... Luke 17:1-3 NIV
The reason why these verses are
so important is that is it shows how careful we need to be with those
who are young and vulnerable who trust us as adults. Being an adult
survivor of child abuse, I know the impact of it and how it can cause so
much destruction in so many ways long into adulthood. As adults, we
have a choice to stop generational sins and we can protect the threats
of harm to little ones by not breaking their spirit and exasperating
them.
We can guard their mental health and their well-being, especially
spiritually, by loving them well and honoring their preciousness before
the Lord and letting them remain children. Crushing their spirit,
allowing harm to them, contributing to their growing up before their
time, can put them into harmful situations whether we intend it or not.
Taking out our anger on them can damage them physically, emotionally and
spiritually and set them up for later mental health issues as well as
rebelliousness against us as parents and ultimately against God whom we
are commanded to teach them how to love. This harm can unknowingly be
done even with our best intentions as parents or leaders by putting them
out there in the 'limelight' or giving them too much responsibility
before they are ready or mature enough to handle it - we are always
accountable. As adults we are too familiar with and know that harm
comes, even unintentionally. What will be do to guard them so that
doesn't happen? Where is that fine line of letting them learn and
protecting them?
It is truly important to love and obey God as an
adult and to pass this on to your children in a LOVING way! How will you
take responsibility of this in the life of your child? Or better yet,
if you were a child that was embittered and harmed, how will you allow
the spirit of God to re-parent you to learn to love the Lord your God
with all your heart, soul and mind? If you let Him do it, it can happen
and you will experience great freedom! Your next generation will live a
freedom like you will have never imagined, but will yet to live
yourself! Go for it!
