A Charge To Choose

He is a funny looking, offensively effeminate man. And I can say that because I'm pretty sure he means to be--it's part of his celebrity schtick. Everywhere he goes, he wears itty-bitty exercise shorts from the 80s and sleeveless tanks to match. And they usually sparkle.

We don't see him around much anymore--which is a sign of the times and illustrates his point--but we got an earful from him last week as he yelled at a congressional committee! And he was wearing a suit and tie because the situation is too serious to be played out in character.

"What have we done?! What have we done to the children of the United States of America?!" was his plea. It was impassioned and timely, brave and prophetic. And he said more than he realizes, I think.

Exercise enthusiast, Richard Simmons was, of course, talking about the obesity problem among our children these days. But my question is this: If we know the problems, why aren't we doing anything about them? We say we know the consequences, but do we really believe in them?

Really, it's just a sneeze to the bigger disease. About food. And about so much more.

When did it happen that this generation of parents--Generation X--became the weakest group of parents ever in the history of American society?

How is it that so many are just plain not making choices--even bad ones--for our children while they are in our charge? Are we lazy? Are we deceived? Are we too busy for the time that it takes to think it through?

Are we afraid of our children? Are we afraid of one another?

And maybe just as importantly, how many--when the epiphany comes too late for us--are willing to be transparent and repentant; how many are willing to turn around and tell those coming up behind us how to avoid the pitfalls and perils?

How many are willing to say, "What have we done?!"

I'm not trying to speak to the state of the culture, and I'm certainly past the idea that everyone ought to make my choices their choices. I'm speaking instead about the fear that grips parents and leads them into a place of parental resignation and political correctness and hip relatability with their kids.

Who is passing the mantle to whom here?

And so, in this seemingly hopeless situation, I have a good word to speak to all the young parents who are afraid to raise children in this day and age because of the licentiousness that abounds and the disintegration of our society's moral fiber:

You are the parent. This is America. And you. get. to. choose!

For some well-intentioned people, the choices are made for them through death, divorce or illness. Some must abdicate control of their children, but even in that, there is a measure of choice. And if you are one of whom I speak, take comfort that your hardship, if not judgment for unrepented sin, is truly the hand of a sovereign God in your life and you can trust Him with it. His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

But for the rest, to whom much opportunity is given, you are expected to be active, not passive as you choose and develop the atmosphere in which your children will live, learn, and thrive in these, their most formative years. You get to choose the language they hear and use, the clothing that is provided for their wear, the music they are accustomed to hearing, the hobbies that take their time, the program themes they view, the friends with which they spend any time and the activities that that time is built around, the food they consume, the manners they employ and the amount of privacy that is good and healthy for them.

You get to do all that for 18 years, so says our government by the sovereignty of God. And while your diligence in guarding their hearts will, in no way, ensure a lifetime followed in your footsteps--or more importantly, Christ's footsteps--the choices you sow now will absolutely be reaped in a harvest.

And the harvest starts ripening almost immediately upon their ability to move, speak and reason.

Choose.

Make a goal. Draw a sketch. Write a vingette. Have a plan.

Draw a line in the sand now, as you start, so that as life happens you can remember where your compromise lives. Don't be like the frog in the water that boils to death so slowly it doesn't think to jump out in time to save its life. Don't let the tide of everyone else's negligence and ignorance--or even their purposeful choices for their family--toss you with the current.

Choose.

If you choose well and with purpose; if you fill their young minds and lives with goodness, ownership, closeness and a measure of beauty; if you train them in the way they should go, when they are old, I think they shall not depart from it.

But ultimately that will be...their choice.

Yours is to take your stewardship seriously...and choose.