It’s often said that the future of the world is vested in our children for they are the men and women of tomorrow. But what will they offer the world? We see signs all around us and we are not sure that we like what we see. Respect for others, reverence for God, selflessness, honor to parents, self-respect, among others, are leaving through the door and taking “a good conscience” with them. Why?

Children live what they learn. What have we taught our children? Not teaching them the honorable things is as bad as telling them to do wrong and it leaves them to follow any lead that seems comfortable, exciting or easy. The people they see around them are the examples they are most likely to follow. As parents, we must be there to correct, guide and to be that proper example that will prepare them for the future. Failure to do so contravenes the will of God found in Proverbs 22: 6 “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from It. ” We must be available to hear their comments, to feel their hurt, to show them how to love themselves and others, to laugh with them and to spend time with them even at the expense of our own comfort. To do less is to set them up for failure. We are not at liberty to say, I told him/her to do this or that and not follow up to see that it is done and done properly. We can’t say “he/she has ‘sense’ so he/she should know better” when we have never helped them to understand a better way.

What of their spiritual state? We fail to take them to church because we ourselves do not go. And we don’t send them to Sunday School because they decide against going. As a result, their values (moral and others) are shaped by irreverence and wantonness. It is our duty to teach them the fear (reverence/respect) of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10).

Yes, our children are the future and we have them in our hands. Let’s not sow to the wind and reap the whirlwind. Let us be their role models and fit them for success in the future.