The Real Issue

Image from:  http://morallaw.org/Monument.htm

 I had the privilege of attending a child safety conference yesterday where the keynote speaker's topic was "Why Teens Kill."  With all the prevailing media attention to tragic events like Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Newtown, the topic of any child safety conference these days is a foregone conclusion.  We talked about teen killers, their motivations and triggers; we were shown graphic images of crime scenes and murder victims; we were shocked by language and lyrics, images and icons, and yet, as the conference wore on, I was struck by the fact that no one seemed to be discussing the real issue, or, if they were, they were doing so in language so vague as to be almost unrecognizable.  We have removed every last vestige of God and his son, Jesus Christ, from the halls and the walls of our classes and courtrooms and expect that the devil will not take advantage of the situation.

I particularly like the King James translation of 1 Peter 5:8 that describes the devil as a roaring lion, “seeking whom he may devour.”  The verse does not say “will devour;” it says may, implying that there must be some sort of permission granted, some concession of ability to allow this devouring to take place.  Many will see this as semantics, but in the unseen world of Christian warfare, it is vital.  If it is true that when we submit to the will of God and resist the devil, then the devil flees, then the reverse is also true.  When we no longer consider the will of God in our decision making and greet with apathy the advances of the enemy, then we are allowing the predator his prey. 

I was struck recently by a verse from Genesis that I had read countless times previously but which had never jumped from the page and demanded that I consider it more closely.  The verse reads thus:  “And they said one to another, ‘We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us’” (Gen. 42: 21-22).  I was startled by the clarity that seemed inherent in this verse, especially considering the current state of things.  We are guilty in that we have allowed swear words to be more readily acceptable than the name of Christ.  We are guilty in that we have not poured love and life into the lives of children who so desperately need it.  We are guilty in that we have allowed our children to believe that being important, or being first, or being the best is more important than being kind, patient, forgiving, and loving.  We are guilty in that when we see a child who is hurting, crying out for attention, begging to be loved; when we see the anguish of their souls, we refuse to hear.  We label them as trouble-makers and deviants; Goths, skaters, and punk kids; as sinners in desperate need of a Savior.  And the latter, in many instances, is true - the problem is that they have never met him, nor have we taken the time to introduce Him.

Image from: http://www.withagratefulheart.com/2007/09/
jesus-loves-little-children.html

It is past time that we begin to pour Christ back into the lives of our children, not just those that are biologically ours, but also those who God places in our path.  We must, as Casting Crowns so eloquently put it, “love them like Jesus,” without hesitation or reservation, in full knowledge that this type of love is the only thing that can truly begin to correct the enormous issues that we face.  When we love our children, and teach our children to love, then the root of bitterness that causes so much anger and destruction is plucked like a weed and replaced by an unshakable faith and hope for a brighter dawn.