My hubby had been watching an interesting show and called me in to see it. Someone made a ‘reality’ television show about modern families living like the pioneers did. One of the families had three children. They had great wealth and lived in a large, beautiful home overlooking a scenic landscape, yet had come to live in a small wooden house with no amenities or modern comforts for a considerable length of time. In order to survive, the whole family had to work very hard from early morning to evening. One child had a birthday while there, and was given a handmade, rustic toy, one of few the children had to play with.
At the end of the experience, the family was filmed in their own home after they were fully involved in their old lives to see how they were doing and what they had learned from their adventure. The three children were in their hot tub on the deck of their sleek, modern home and were speaking with fondness of the experiences they had. In short, they were saying that though they had everything they wanted in this life, it was less fulfilling to them than the time they spent as pioneers. As well, they had learned that there was more value in the toys they had as pioneers because they had so few, than in their normal lives where they have much. They also felt less valuable or needed than as pioneers.
Those are the only things I remember about the show other than how difficult their lives were as pioneers. It made me feel sad for the children of today who are inundated with toys and recreation, but do not have confidence built upon successful and fruitful labour and feel like they hold no value in society. Is it any wonder they feel lost and wander aimlessly through their days?
Sure kids can gain some confidence by playing on sports teams or acting in plays, but will this really make them feel valuable and needed in society? A parent can say many things to a child, but the child believes what he sees in himself and in his relation to the world. There are many Scriptures pertaining to children; here are a few.
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD… Ps. 127:3
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Pr. 22:6
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2Tm. 3:16 ,17
He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him. Pr. 13:24 NIV
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. Gen. 18:19
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. Dt. 6:7 NKJV
The last two verses speak into the time it takes in genuine parenting. We forget this in today’s society where parents are busy working and driving kids who are busy with sports, organizations and activities. By teenage years, most families don’t even eat supper together. But God knew that Abraham would spend enough time with his kids to raise them godly and teach them to do right. God also told the Jews in Moses day to learn the law so they could teach and talk about them to their children throughout the day: sitting, walking (all activities), first thing in the morning and last thing at night (all day).
I’m wondering if we need to go back to the pioneer days, back to when families lived and worked together all day. Obviously that’s not possible, but we should try to find a way to do a better job at raising our kids godly in a godless world. The proof of our efforts should be seen: in their confidence to serve God’s purpose in their lives and make a stand for righteousness in these dark times. Perhaps with our help, they can be God’s pioneers of today.