Downward Spiral

"After that whole generation 

had been gathered to their ancestors,

another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD

nor what he had done for Israel.

Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD

and served the Baals."

Judges 2:10-11

School.  Enriching activities.  Competitive sports.  Meaningful friendships.  There are many pursuits available and touted as important to the development of children that I as a parent strive to include in my sons and daughters' lives.  

Consequently, I support them in their studies, making sure they have plenty of rest, eat right and get their homework done.  I am told by a competitive world that including sports in their lives also promotes healthy exercise while teaching them to work as a team and to develop self-discipline.  As a parent, I also feel the pressure to make sure my kids have good friends who are willing to support them and provide companionship while helping them to cultivate sound interpersonal skills.  There are many areas of development to consider when raising healthy children. 

Out of all the areas in which I endeavor to promote development in my children, however, do I ever think about their spiritual development?  Do I consider the importance of teaching them God's ways, sharing the Gospel and encouraging them to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ?  These are not things that are automatically known nor are they something that can be learned simply by being the children of believing parents.  

Instead, the truths found in God's Word must be passed on to my offspring, deliberately and consistently taught.  Otherwise they will be lost to a whole new generation; and then there will be consequences.

Doing Evil

Hooking up.  Cheating.  Gender Identity.  Homosexuality.  

These are some examples of the evil that has permeated the hearts and minds of a new generation.  They are taught to be tolerant of alternative lifestyles, to do what it takes to get ahead, and that their own happiness is what's most important.  As a result, God and His ways have been lost.

A new Pew study reveals that young adults aged 18-33, dubbed the "Millennial Generation," are the least religious ever.  Only 33% consider themselves to be "religious," while 20% in this age bracket have married.  This change in cultural behavior can be seen as direct result of a whole new generation growing up without God and His values.  It is clear that those who drift away from the Lord will do what is evil in the eyes of the Lord (2 Timothy 3:1-9).

Therefore, it is not surprising that homosexuality is widely accepted as simply a way to express yourself.  When children are not given a foundation in Biblical truths, it is easy for them to believe the lies they are fed through the media, entertainment and even the educational system.  Without a grounding in what is right in God's eyes, they'll be easily swayed (Ephesians 4:11-14).

Is it any wonder, that children today view sex as just another pastime?  When they haven't learned to respect this gift God gave His creation to be enjoyed within the confines of marriage, it's not surprising to instead find them following their own nature and doing what feels good.

I can't either be shocked to learn that 90% of middle school students have copied their homework from a fellow-student, 80% of high school students have admitted to cheating on exams last year while 82% of college-age students have plagiarized from Wikipedia.  Cheating is considered to be a socially acceptable part of getting through life.  Without the grounding found in learning about a God who values truth and honesty, this trend will only grow stronger with time.

When I fail to teach the next generation about God and His ways, they will be comfortable with doing what is evil in the eyes of the Lord.

Serving gods

God is becoming irrelevant.  I'm not saying that He really is immaterial, but that people believe He is not as important to their day-to-day lives as He used to be.  The above cited survey stated that only 2 out of 3 young adults adhere to any kind of religion.  Assuming that some of those people are following other gods, we are left with a small percentage of those who truly buy into what God teaches in His Word.  

While I've been warned that few will find the narrow gate, (Matthew 7:14) it is apparent to me that the Lord has faded into the foggy distance for many because He has not been revered as the center of all things.  When our society removes the Ten Commandments and stops using God's standard to guide their own judgment, it's not surprising to find people turning to other sources to find their values, sense of purpose and guidance.

Psychologists grow in stature as people seek to know how to handle situations.  Self-help books fly off the shelves as the hurting look for ways to find healing.  Alternative practices such as meditation are adopted as the stressed-out and burdened try to find peace.

In truth, all that is needed is found in relationship with the One who created me through faith in Jesus Christ.  When I turn to Him, He gives wisdom, promotes healing and is the only source of peace (Proverbs 9:10, Psalm 147:3, Philippians 4:6-7).  Without Him, nothing I do matters (John 15:5).

When I fail to teach the next generation of God and His ways, they will turn to other sources to find meaning.

Losing God's Favor

Moses acknowledged that he was unwilling to go forward without it (Exodus 33:3, 12-14). Saul didn't realize it's importance until it was too late (1 Samuel 16:14). David knew it was his only hope (Psalm 25).  God's presence and favor is what sets His people apart from all others, making straight their paths and guiding their footsteps (Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 37:23).

I hear people talk about how hard the times are.  There are mass killings, wars, abductions, murders, drunk driving, fallen economies and attacks by terrorists.  Planes fall from the sky, the earth swallows up entire neighborhoods and monster storms wipe out complete sections of our cities.  People wonder why all the bad things are happening.  

Living in a fallen world is just plain brutal.  There is no rest for anyone as darkness descends upon us.  Instead of looking for a way to cope, however, it would be wiser to consider Who we have forsaken.  Without God's protective favor, life in such a place is unpleasant to say the least.  Living in darkness without the benefit of Light is no life at all.

Yet this is what we are doing as a culture.  I see the way entire nations deny God by refusing to acknowledge His sovereign nature.  Instead of relying on His strength and admitting to man's sinfulness, we stubbornly resolve to pick up the pieces and move on.  In the place of submitting to His sovereign nature, we think we can drive things our way by the sheer force of our will.  As a substitute to honoring God as the Creator of all things, we attempt to come up with our own rules, even going so far as to try to modify or improve on His handiwork. 

When I fail to teach the next generation of God and His ways, they will find out what it's like to live without the benefit of God's favor.

In the time of the Judges, there was a clear cycle of unfaithfulness followed by repentance and the return of God's favor.  Likewise, I am living in a time when mankind is drifting away from God.  When I fail to buck the trend and teach young ones the importance of the truth found in His Word, there will be certain consequences I can expect, and am in fact already witnessing(Deuteronomy 6:4-9).  Evil will increase, other gods will rise in importance, and God's favor will be withdrawn.  In these ways, a denial of God's charge to teach His commandments leads to a downward spiral that cannot be avoided.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can remember how important it is to teach the next generation about the Lord. 

When do I avoid speaking the truth in love because I think someone else will set the record straight?

Who is in my sphere of influence but has no understanding of God and His ways?  How can I bring enlightenment?  

Originally published on March 13, 2014