Look upon your children as Jacob did on his: He tells Esau they are “the children which God hath graciously given thy servant” (Gen. 33:55And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. (Genesis 33:5)). Look upon them as Joseph did on his: He told his father, “They are my sons, whom God hath given me” (Gen. 48:99And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. (Genesis 48:9)). Count them with the psalmist to be “an heritage of the Lord” (Psa. 127:33Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. (Psalm 127:3)). See how Manoah speaks to the angel about Samson: “How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him” (Judges 13:1212And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him? (Judges 13:12)). Observe how tenderly Job cared for his children’s souls: He “offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all,” for he said, “It may be my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually” (Job 1:55And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. (Job 1:5)).
Parents, if you love your children, go and do likewise. You cannot name their names before the mercy-seat too often.
Fathers and mothers, you may send your children to the best of schools and give them Bibles and fill them with head knowledge, but if all this time there is no regular training at home, I tell you plainly, I fear it will go hard in the end with your children’s souls.
Children have mixed the bitterest cups that man has ever had to drink. Children have caused the saddest tears that man has ever had to shed. Adam could tell you so; David could tell you so. There are no sorrows on earth like those children have brought upon their parents.
Oh, take heed lest your own neglect should lay up misery for you in your old age.
We cannot close this little pamphlet without a word of warning against two innovations of recent years — radio and television — which the devil is using to bring the world, with all its degrading influences, into the home. Television, with its corrupt programs, is surely his latest masterpiece, and Christian parents are warned to be on their guard.