"A Wicked Child"

  The father and mother came to the elders looking for encouragement and help for their son who had gone astray from the Lord and demonstrated behavior that was destructive. Their son had done something that would probably call for some prison time. There is nothing that hurts to the depths than a child that wanders into sin and death and especially when it's to this degree. The pain just stays with the parent. Here were two lovely children of God who raised their family to seek the Lord and their son had gone into the depths of sin. Elders should have some godly advice for them, shouldn't they? There should be some comfort to draw from the God of all comfort (II Cor. 1), should there? Their counsel said that their son is a product of how they raised him!! On top of the pain they must also live with guilt. How can men, who are supposedly the spiritual leaders of God's people, be so shallow in their thinking and lacking spiritual insight?

  In Ezekiel 18, we have a great description of God holding people accountable for their sins. In verses 10-13 we have a righteous man who has a wicked son. Yes, it can happen! (And there is also the reverse where a wicked father can end up with a godly son!) Why don't we believe that? A son that has been taught from infancy can end up choosing to do everything his father would not do and refuse to do everything his father would do! We have the righteous defined in verses 5-9. I realize there are many children whose parents are walking in shame because their parents didn't care for them properly or walk with the Lord. That's understood. But we must realize that once our children leave home, it is now their faith and their choices in their faith, not the parents. Many children live in the gutter in spite of good raising, prayers and tears of discipline. The Lord knows that too. Ask King David about his children. This king, even though he failed as we failed in things in our own lives, was called a man after God's own heart! Yet his son tried to over-throw his father with lies and deceit.

  We must not throw suspicion on godly mothers and fathers of wicked and even sometimes worthless kids holding the parents responsible. Parents, be an example. Discipline your children. Keep humility toward the Lord at the front of your life. Make certain the family knows that Jesus is Lord. But these don't guarantee. There are still choices each individual makes. It doesn't take much to look at this: who was Adam's father? Hmmmm...and what did Adam choose?