Online Articles
Child Abuse #3
Looking into the eyes of mal-nourished children whose pictures are brought into hour homes via television is heart breaking. Especially when most of us have food to spare, and possibly discard more in a day than some children eat in a week. However sad that may be, looking into the eyes well nourished children who are the innocent victims of "spiritual mal-nutrition" is worse. A physically mal-nourished child will not develop properly and may suffer side effects all their life, but the consequences are not eternal. The spiritually malnourished child will not develop properly either, and worse yet, the consequences will be eternal - they most likely will be lost.
How sad and wasted are the lives of children who have parents that deprive them of the study and discussion of God’s word. Many times parents who neglect this basic need of a child, leave a legacy of spiritual ignorance. Poor examples by parents who do not attend Bible classes, never study their Bibles at home, and never make the word of God a part of their conversation, are sending the message that spiritual nourishment is not needed. However, this contradicts Jesus’ plain statement, “man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” This truth sets forth the attitude parents must have if they expect to nourish their children (and themselves) to have a fulfilling life and the reward of eternal life. Christian parents must realize the potential for long lasting good or evil, that depends on whether or not they shoulder their responsibility to “train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Not always, but most likely, a child will not depart from the course you set them on.
What’s the difference in deliberately withholding food from a child, and depriving them of the “…sincere milk of the word that they may grow thereby” (1Pet 2:2)? The Creator, who designed us and will sustain us, is primarily concerned with our spiritual development. By nature, the physical man is in decline most of the years of his life. However, the "inward man is renewed day by day." That is, if he is fed; if we starve him, he dies. It would be unthinkable to deliberately starve a child. It is just as unthinkable to spiritually starve and deprive a child of the "implanted word which is able to save your soul." We are all appalled by the reports that children are being physically abused. We get angry and want to see that justice is served on behalf of the victims. Many times it's not. However, The Great Judge of all will not allow one "spiritual child abuse case" to pass without justice being served.
Parents will give an account of their stewardship because God's heritage has been entrusted to them. Parenting is serious business because we are directing the souls of children on a course set for one of two eternal destinies. Are we concerned about spiritual child abuse? It's all around us! Are we concerned enough to modify our actions, and help others also? Think about it.
