God Is A Very Strict Parent

 

According to an investigative article by Eli Hager published in the Washington Post, March 2, 2017, entitled “Your child’s been sent to jail. And then comes the bill,” many states bill parents when their juve­nile children are in the legal system. One woman in California was charged $30 a day, while her son waited for 300 days to be tried. In this case, all the charges were dismissed because someone else had com­mitted the crime.

Many parents of adolescent children are poor and can barely afford to live by themselves. Many never pay, many others are threatened and harassed by attorneys for the state, while others are turned over to debt collectors. States typically spend well over 50 percent of what they collect in collection procedures alone.

Laws were passed a number of years ago to allow what I’ve just described. The state thought that many parents were dumping their children in the juvenile justice system and the system of paying for your children’s jail time was an attempt to prevent dumping. Perhaps it was a deterrent for some parents, but children of poor parents are paying for the sins of their children. And one of the un­intended consequences was found to be that the children once released from custody had learned to be more unruly.

Aren’t you glad that God has a different philosophy regarding the responsibili­ty for sin. Ezekiel records God’s thought processes in this matter. “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself” (Ezekiel 18:20). In God’s eyes, parents don’t pay for the sins of the children. While there is no excuse for sin, God also offers for­giveness. “Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have commit­ted, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live!” (Ezekiel 18:31-32).

[Exodus 20:3-11] God had just finished the giving of the first four commandments relating to the love we should have for Him. He then turns His attention to the love we are to have for others, and begins with, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you” (Exodus 20:12). We have heard this command many times and it is even repeated in the New Testament by Jesus (Matthew 15:4) and by the apostle Paul (Ephesians 6:2). But what exactly are we talking about? When one honors his or her parents he does so in the following ways: (1) Obeying them (Deuteronomy 21:18-20); (2) speaking respectfully to them and about them (Leviticus 19:3); (3) not cursing or striking them (Exodus 21:15, 17; Leviticus 20:9); and (4) providing for their needs when they are no longer able to provide for themselves. Jesus indicated that “honoring” parents included this fourth meaning in Mark 7:9-13. Honoring fathers and mothers involves more than just one or two days a year. It is to be a daily practice of obedience, respect, kindness, patience, understanding, etc. I’m glad there has been a day set aside to honor our parents. I pray that we practice honor each and every day.

Mom’s, Happy Mother’s Day! We honor you for your sacrifices over the years. We honor you for the example of Christian faithfulness shown in your daily lives. We thank you for the little (and big!) life lessons taught us from the earliest days of our life on this big planet. We thank you for the endless love given to us, in spite of our shortcomings.