Our Children-The Youth of Today

In addition to the spiritual nurturing we give our children as parents, the values we teach them are important. Values such as being thankful, responsible, hard working, loving, forgiving, humble, honest, patient, grateful; having integrity and respect and regard for others, among others, will prepare them for the world. These values will help them know right from wrong and determine the choices they make in life. Their values will also determine how they weather the storms of life because when their location, finances, health or circumstances change, their values must remain unchanged. Daniel and Joseph, in the Holy Bible, are examples of young people who kept their values despite changes in their locations and circumstances. They held on to their values when it would have been easier for them to give in. 

Daniel was among the Jews who were taken into exile in Babylon while he was only a teenager. While there, his name was changed from Daniel to Belteshazzar and he was taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans. When his diet was to be changed from kosher (Jewish) to the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar’s delicacies and wine, Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king’s diet. Instead, he requested to eat vegetables and drink water (Daniel 1:8–16). Despite his change of name, identity, and his indefinite exile, Daniel kept his values. 

Joseph was the favourite son of Jacob and therefore hated by his brothers. He had dreams from God about his future greatness, which made his brothers hate him even more. They came up with a plan to harm Joseph but later relented and sold him off to Ishmaelite traders. That is how Joseph ended up in Egypt, where he became a slave to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard. When Potiphar saw that God was with him, and that he was successful in everything he did, he put him in charge of his household and entrusted all he owned into his care, except his wife. Potiphar’s wife, however, took a liking to Joseph and repeatedly made advances at him, which he refused, saying that he could not do such a wicked thing and sin against God. 

After failing to get her way with Joseph she decided to force herself on him. One day while he was in the house carrying out his usual duties, she forced herself on him, but Joseph fled, leaving his coat in her hand. She later reported to Potiphar that Joseph tried to force himself on her, and used his coat as evidence against him. Potiphar was enraged and imprisoned Joseph. Even though he was a slave in a foreign land, with no hope of returning to his family, Joseph did not compromise his values, but kept them. He was later released from prison, and made governor in Egypt (Genesis 37, 39 &41). 

Our children, too, face tough choices in a rapidly changing world where they see their peers doing “cool” things which are unbiblical. The biblical values we teach our children will help them stand out for God, and not blend in with the crowd. 

We should pray that our children and descendants will love God and keep His commandments, so they will enjoy the blessings of obedience. We should pray that none of them will be missing from the house of God, and none will lose their godly heritage or serve another god, other than Almighty God. We should pray that they will find their purpose in life early, and that they will not be enticed or carried away by the world’s ungodly systems, or pressured off the path God prepared for them to walk in. We should pray that they will honour their parents and authorities placed over them by God. Finally, we should commit them to God, daily, because He is able to keep them from harm and evil schemes. 

Our prayers will set our children on the right path in life, so let us not relent to pray for them, and their friends too.


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