Let's Not Starve Our Children!
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesThrough the news media, we hear of negligent parents starving their children to death. We are sickened to hear of such inexcusable conduct, not to mention its deplorable consequences. Any parent who truly loves their children would never dream of depriving them life-sustaining food. However, even the most concerned parents sometimes lose sight of what is the most essential food for their children — the word of God. Consequently, multitudes of young people are being neglected when it comes to being fed the word of God which is able to make them wise for salvation (2 Timothy 3:15 – NKJV).
Without the word of God, spiritual growth is impossible (James 1:21; 1 Peter 2:2) because it is the only source available that will nourish the soul (1 Timothy 4:6). How many untold thousands of children are being starved spiritually simply because their parents have failed to provide them with opportunities to taste the good word of God (Hebrews 6:5 – NKJV). Have our spiritual senses become so dulled and our priorities so perverted that we are incensed at the thought of little starving bodies but indifferent to precious starving souls? — even those of our own children?
Is it enough that we fill a child’s stomach with food and his pockets with money while neglecting that part which is eternal? That part which our Lord says is of more value than the whole world? (Matthew 16:26). How is it that professed God-fearing parents have come to conclude that school subjects are more important for their children than are Bible subjects? Why is the lesser made imperative and the greater made almost optional? It is not too difficult to understand why some young people come to decide that getting along in the world is more important than getting along with God. It’s little wonder then that so many of them leave the Lord when they leave home. No father or mother has any right to expect their child to have spiritual health and strength when they have failed to provide the very things that would give it — when they have starved their child’s soul!
Brethren and friends, God has never intended that any human being, whether old or young, should live by bread alone, but by “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 – NKJV). Children are as dependent on parents to provide the spiritual Word as much as their physical bread. As the bread, the Word is needful continually and in good measure if it is to have its intended effect (cf. Psalm 78:1-8 – NKJV). Most young people have eager appetites for spiritual food, but if those appetites are not satisfied, they will wane and cease.
Rest assured, our children will not go hungry or starve spiritually, “if” we will provide them every opportunity to nourish their souls!