[Biblemat] S) CHILD ABUSE

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is a study from my
files.  Use to the glory of God.

CHILD ABUSE

     The Psalmist said,  "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psa. 
127:3).  Paul said, "the parents ought to lay up for
the children" (2 Cor. 12:14).  Jesus said we should "give good
gifts" to our children (Matt. 7:11).  How sad to hear of the 
abuse of children.  There are several kinds of abuse.  We will
consider four of them.

Physical Abuse: -- Some children are sexually abused.  Often
this comes from live-in by or girl friends, or from step-parents
Children have a right to privacy and need to be taught the 
value of modesty.  Frazzled and frustrated parents sometimes
take it out on the children who have very little means of pro-
tection.  Anger often turns into rage and children end up ser-
iously injured, or dead.  All of us need to "gird up the loins of
your (our) mind, and be sober" (1 Pet. 1:13).  We are called
upon to add "temperance" (self-control) to our faith (2 Pet. 1:
6).  Older women are to teach the younger women to "love
their children" (Titus 2:4).  Those who understand and pract-
ice what the Word of God says will not drown their children 
in a bathtub, strap them in car seats and then drive the car
into a lake, or beat them to death.

Mental Abuse: -- When parents show favoritism, they are abusing their 
children.  "Why can't you be more like your
sister?"  "Can't you do anything right?" "Are you stupid, or
what?"  The households of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all made this same 
mistake.  Because they did not learn, the des-
cendants to this day are still at odds.  Mental abuse breaks
the spirit of children.  "Fathers, provoke not your children to
anger lest they be discouraged" (Col. 3:21).  Children are 
mentally abused when we expect too much of them.  They
need time to be children and to grow up.

Parental Neglect: -- The excitement of having a baby soon 
fades into the mother going back to work and the father being too busy with 
his work and interests to care.  Babies
are often left in the care of grandparents or other relatives,
with hired nannies, or in day care centers where others will
feed them, put them down for naps, comfort them when they
are sick, and also hear their first words, and see them take
their first steps.

     Once, during a meeting, I stayed in a home which also ran
a day care business.  Every morning, sleepy children were
brought early, and some of them were picked up late in the
day.  I watched one four-year old boy run to the window and
watch his mother's car disappear down the road, then turn
and sadly walk away with tears running down his face.  That
happened every day I was there.  I saw some children who
did not want to go home with the parent who came for them.
Sometimes the frustrated parent would offer a bribe (every-
thing from going to McDonald's, to a new toy).  Then we hear
about "quality time."  Listen, there can be no quality time with-
out quantity.  That "quality time" has to compete with gracery
shopping, laundry, household chores, yard work, social engagements, homework, 
religious activities, scouts, little
league, and you name it.  Divorce only compounds the probl-
em.  Children are batted back and forth like ping pong balls,
caught in a dreadful tug of war.  Anyone who thinks this is not harmful to 
children is a brick short of a load.

Spiritual Abuse: -- The abuse with the worst consequences is
spiritual in nature.  Each child is a living soul.  That soul is
bound for an eternal destination.  If the child lives to the age
of moral and spiritual accountability, then he will be eternally
lost unless he/she obeys the gospel and serves the Lord. Yet,
this abuse is given little attention by so many.  A failure  to 
teach them the way of the Lord is spiritual abuse, pure and
simple.  Israel was to instruct the children, in the house, at 
bedtime, and when they walked by the way (Deut. 6:4-9).  A
father is to exhort, comfort, and charge his children (1 Thes.
2:11).  Paul said to "bring them up in the nurture and admon-
ition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4).

     Correction is a part of training.  The word "nurture" invol-
ves the whole training of a child, including corrective discipli-
ne.  "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the
rod of correction shall drive it far from him" (Prov. 22:15).  "He that 
spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth 
him chasteneth him betimes" (Prov. 13:24).  "A fool despiseth
his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is pru-
dent" (Prov. 15:5).  "A wise son maketh a glad father: but a
foolish man despiseth his mother" (Prov. 15:20).  "Chasen thy son while there 
is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his cry-
ing" (Prov. 19:18).  Remember Eli?  He was a good man and
attended well to his responsibilities, with one exception.  His
sons became vile and "he restrained them not" (1 Sam. 3:13).
Of course, correction is not pleasant, but afterwards it yields
"peaceable fruits" (Heb. 12:5-11).

     Parents who do not correct their children when they throw
fits at home, in public places, including church services, are
abusing their children spiritually.  "Time out" and "I am count-
ing to ten" are jokes and the children know it.  The world at
large is full of unruly, undisciplined children.  It is sad to see
this among Christians.  Church services are disrupted by 
children who are old enough to be corrected and more and
more parents don't have a clue about how to handle such dis-
ruptions.  Some allow their children to talk constantly during
prayers, sermons, and at other times, including the Lord's
supper.  Listen up, parents who allow this behavior without
taking steps to correct it are abusing their children.

     It is spiritual abuse when parents fail to set the right exam-
ple.  When they preach one thing and practice another, don't
think that little eyes are not watching and little ears are not
listening.  If parents expect children to grow up to serve the
Lord, they must be given a worthy example to follow.

     Let's stop child abuse!       ------- Connie W. Adams in Truth Magazine, 
Vol. 51, No. 12, Dec. 2007.                                                   
                                                                              
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