LOST CHILD!

Neal Pollard

Colorado is in the midst of yet another high-profile missing child case, that of Durango's Dylan Redwine.  The problem of lost or abducted children seems to be escalating at an alarming rate.  The latest credible statistics I could find were from a 2002 U.S. Department of Justice study which asserts that nearly 800,000 children under 18 go missing each year, about 2,185 per day.  A fourth of these were abducted by family members, 58,000 by non-family members, and 115 are stereotypical kidnappings (stranger who transport child, demands a ransom, etc.)("National Estimates of Missing Children: An Overview," Sedlak, Finkelhor, Hammer, and Schultz, 10/02, p. 5). The good news, according to FBI statistics, is that roughly 99 percent  of that 800,000 are found through law enforcement efforts.  The bad news, though, is that 8 to 10,000 are not found after lengthy, exhaustive search (cf. Daniel Broughton, Pediatrics Magazine, Vol. 114, No. 4, 10/04, 1100).  As a parent, I find it hard to fathom the depth of anguish and pain for those who lose their children so senselessly and tragically.

Though Luke 15 illustrates spiritual waywardness with a lost sheep and a lost coin, the third and longest parable concerns a lost child.  This child, though older, announced to his father that he was leaving, then departed to parts unknown.  He was lost in a spiritual sense, prodigal or recklessly wasteful.  The Bible describes his time in a distant country as spent in "loose living" (Luke 15:13).  The older brother, however accurately, charged the prodigal son with devouring his wealth with prostitutes (Luke 15:30).  Whatever the particulars, the son freely admitted to having sinned (Luke 15:21).  In celebrating the boy's return, the father twice exclaimed that the boy "was lost and has been found" (Luke 15:24,32).

No parents love their children as deeply, perfectly, and intimately as God loves each of us.  When we become spiritually lost, He grieves and aches more profoundly than we could imagine.  Yet, He does not measure His loss in tens of thousands but in billions.  Most of those who become lost in this way are never found (Matt. 7:13-14).  The Father relies on you and me to help Him rescue and return His lost children!  Or, if we are lost, we should realize how very much He wants us back home!

Giving Our Kids "Peaceful Fruit"

Neal Pollard

Paul's inspired illustration about the church is so rich and powerful that Ephesians 5:22-33 is a text that has been used to preach many a sermon about marriage.  What the writer of Hebrews does with Divine discipline is just as compelling.  In urging the Christians to remain faithful despite persecution (Heb. 12:4), he tells them they had forgotten the biblical exhortation about God's discipline of His children.  The writer goes on to use the illustration of earthly parents disciplining their children.

You have seen the fruit of undisciplined children.  It is both rotten and smelly, whether it's a toddler's tantrum, an adolescent's attitude, or a teenager's "'tude."  Seeing undisciplined children is enough to appreciate the wisdom of statements like "a child left to himself brings shame to his mother" (Prov. 29:15).  It is unattractive in youth, but destructive in adulthood.

In Hebrews 12, the writer uses the word "discipline" eight times in seven verses (plus one time inserted by translators in verse 10).  That makes it vital to the context of this paragraph.  Discipline proves love to children (6), provides legitimacy to children (7-8), produces loyalty from children (9), and perfects pure lives in children (10) though it prompts lamentations in children when it is administered (11).  Yet, in showing how He interacts with His faithful ones, God reminds us how He wants us to parent our children.  He wants us to teach them discipline.

How do we do that?  The writer uses words like "reprove" (5) and "scourges" (6) "as seemed best to them" (10) in a way that "for the moment" is "sorrowful" for the child (11).  If you ever had a parent who failed to "spare the rod" of correction, you can relate.  We do well to remember that "foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him" (Prov. 22:15).

"Experts" tell us that all corporal punishment will warp and frustrate the recipients.  Violent, uncontrolled hitting may well do so, but not loving, measured spankings meant to teach right from wrong.  Likewise, having rules and restrictions, consistently enforced, gives a child structure and boundaries.  Children actually want to know their limits, and they (and God) expect parents to spell them out to them.  Look down the road at the consequences of that kind of parenting.  What will your children reap?  The inspired writer calls it "the peaceful fruit of righteousness" (11).  There are few gifts as precious and meaningful as that!

Elementary My Dear Watson

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip.  As they lay down for the night, Holmes said, "Watson, look up and tell me what you see.”  Watson said, "I see millions and millions of stars."  Holmes asked, "And what does that tell you?”  Watson replied, "Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Theologically, it tells me that God is great and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it tells me that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.  What does it tell you Holmes?"  Holmes answered simply, "Somebody stole our tent."

Sherlock Holmes is a character that is famous for being able to solve the most difficult of cases.  Interestingly, he does this by observing very basic and elementary aspects of a situation.  He then uses this information to form complex and insightful conclusions to help solve the crime.

Throughout Scripture we see discussions on elementary principles for mature Christians and young Christians.  Younger Christians are told to grow (1 Peter 2:2), to mature (1 Corinthians 14:10), and move past the elementary teachings (Hebrews 6:1).

Mature Christians are told to live up to their maturity expectations (1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:11-14), to no longer be Children but be grounded in Scripture (Ephesians 4:14), and to continue growing (Ephesians 4:15; 2 Peter 3:18).

The point of these Scriptures is to always grow, mature, and move beyond the elementary principles.  We cannot stay on “milk” forever.  But does this mean once we learn these principles we should toss them aside?  Of course not!  We should always keep these principles firmly in mind.  But for mature Christians, this means continuing to use these elementary principles as a foundation for more complex and deep spiritual thought.  Using them as the foundation.

Sherlock Holmes was all about keeping the elementary principles fresh while using them to bring out depth and complexity.  Young Christians need to continue to learn the elementary principles found in Scripture.  Mature Christians can forget the most basic teachings of Scripture.  Therefore, everyone must always keep these basic principles fresh in mind.  As we grow and press towards maturity of Christians, let’s never forget the basic, yet vital, teachings of the Bible.

My Little Girl

Many a time my family has walked around the streets,

Never really knowing what kind of people we will meet.

We’ve seen people who are busy, sad, and anxious about life,

Even Christians who are filled with worries and strife.

But still, my little girl will jump, and bounce, and sing, and play,

Take my word for it, this is how she is every day.

She walks around with her face aglow,

Being peaceful and happy, not afraid to let it show.

My little girl will talk, smile, and laugh with a stranger,

Clearly not aware of what we view as danger.

These people will light up at her cute little face,

Briefly forgetting their troubles in this place.

How could her attitude be so cheerful?

It’s because she has no real reason to be tearful.

My little girl has not yet learned to play life’s stressful game,

Getting caught up in things that cause us lose our aim.

There are some Scriptures we often repeat

“Unless you become like Children, the Lord you shall not meet.”

“To be great, you must become like a child.”

These are requirements not to be taken so mild.

Learning to be like a child is a great thing to do,

Even when everything in this life looks so blue.

People want to go to heaven, this we know,

To do this we need to let our inner child grow.

Let’s seek to be cheerful and happy, innocent and pure,

Then the troubles of life we will be able to endure.

Let’s be more like children when the winds of life swirl.

What a great lesson to learn from my little girl.

Scripture – Matthew 18:1-4