Each Child Is An Unrepeatable Gift From God!
‘Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” 9Proverbs 22:60.
Respect, responsibility, and reputation are essential in sustaining a healthy society. When I peruse social media or watch the national news, I see an absence of these basic principles. Do people understand the consequences of their words or how their actions affect others? The display of hatred, dishonesty and division are troubling; but it is the attempt to deliberately silence opposing views that most concerns me. Journalists and reporters have the capability to put out information instantly without checking sources, and the irresponsibility is dividing our country.
I worry about my grandchildren being raised in a world so full of confusion and division. Now, one might say it has always been challenging to protect children from change and unpredictable behavior in every generation; but something is very different about the world today. The human dignity in each unrepeatable gift from God is blatantly disregarded.
I find comfort when reading Scripture; all of Proverbs 22 provides a message about the importance of having a pure heart, especially in a society filled with fear and immorality. “A good name is more desirable than great riches” (Proverbs 22:1). Children are observing our behavior! The messages of Jesus communicate humility, prudence, honesty, generosity, unconditional love and wisdom. We need to teach our children about Jesus because they are going to need Him!
It sometimes appears that evil is laughing in the face of all that is sacred. The unthinkable Reproductive Health Act passed in the New York Senate is the latest in a series of laws that create a culture of death. How can lawmakers justify taking the life of a full-term baby and promote it as women’s healthcare? I find it increasingly difficult to remain silent with the changes in our society; they are an offense to the Creator and His plan for life, love, marriage and family! This law opens an immoral floodgate with the most brazen violation of human rights. As members of the Body of Christ, the Church, how do we effectively preclude the destruction of the values we hope to instill in future generations?
Be mindful of the risks in following social media platforms that create malicious intent. Students from a Catholic High school in Covington, Ky., who attended the March for Life in Washington, D.C., became the targets of media frenzy because of an edited social media video. These public Internet messages cause people to react without thinking, and they become the basis for irreversible damage to the reputation of the accused, and shame to the accusers. The use of electronic devices in education, and paperless-teaching methods may help students advance with the 21st century, but it may also leave our young children vulnerable, because of all the deceiving messages circulated to distract us from truth.
There was a time when we could ignore social media, and trust the sources of our news channels. Today, much of the information we receive is done through social media, and our newscast is not always accurate. For years we have been instructed about tolerance, yet today, if you have traditional values you are a target for attacks. Making apologies for American success, and erasing our history is not a solution. We are obligated to teach historical facts, and privileged to celebrate the triumphs of the United States of America.
I thank God every day for the gratitude of the gift of faith! Our prayers are powerful! Teaching our children about Jesus, and the battle with evil in our current culture requires that we do more! Keep soldiering, soldiers! Christ is counting on us! Amen!
