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For The Good of Your Child – Authority Part II - Lesson IV
One of the first lessons I learned from our founding Pastor relative to the rearing of children was that of having a Christ centered home in contrast to a child centered home.
In other words children were to be reared in a home where Christ was at the center and not a home where everything was centered on the children.
There is a great difference between these two homes and the results coming from these homes will be as far apart as black is to white.
Just to make things clear, his book title, For the Good of Your Child, means good defined by what the Bible says is good for your child and not what your child or the culture says is good.
There is a verse from the book of I Corinthians posted on the north side of the Baseball Field House here on campus that has been there as long I can remember.
It is easily seen by all who enter the Sports Complex and it advertises to the reader what kind of environment they are entering.
It is a verse about the very subject that we have been discussing in this series of lessons concerning the rearing of children.
The verse of which I refer is a verse that describes what authority is and what authority is to accomplish.
That verse is from I Cor. 14:40, which instructs us to: Let all things be done decently and in order.
Now notice the main words of this verse, all, done, decently and order.
Now order is a methodical arrangement of things.
Methodical means there is a reason behind choosing a particular arrangement, for thinking always precedes order.
When you organize anything you choose a particular arrangement to fit a particular need.
You may have an orderly closet but what’s the point of having all the woman’s clothes mixed in with the man’s clothes?
And I don’t suppose any of you have a family sock drawer.
And in this verse we are told that the methodical arrangement of things is to be a decent arrangement.
Decent, not a popular word today, means becoming, fit, suitable in words, behavior, dress and ceremony. Decent is not ostentatious or immodest or gaudy which means flashy or showy or extravagant. And then the word “done” is used indicating action to do things, to bring things to be, to cause to come forth, to author! And what is the extent of this doing, this authoring.
The extent is that all things are to be done decently and in order.
Therefore there is nothing excluded from being done decently and in order.
Now what we have described here is what authority is.
The purpose of authority is to bring all things to be, but to bring things to be that are decent, meaning fit and suitable, and methodically arranged.
Our Pastor is in charge of what takes place where this verse is posted.
He has authority to see to it that in the Baseball program all things that are done are to be fit, suitable, and methodically arranged.
He has authority to so arrange the fields in a manner that conform to the authority of the rules of the game.
He has authority to see to it that the concession stand is suitable, and fit and so arranged to conduct business in an orderly manner.
He is to see to it that umpires and scorekeepers are in place, on time, and who reflect the instructions of this decent and order verse of scripture.
He has authority to exclude from participating in this sports program those who will not be decent, those who will not be orderly.
In other words he has authority to bring forth that which is not only for the Good of the Child who desires to play baseball in an environment conducive to play, but for all who come to witness this play.
This action of authority of course extends throughout this ministry.
Decency and order are desired in our school where we expect that which takes place in the classrooms, in the hallways, in the lunch room, on the playground, to be decent and orderly.
We meet in this auditorium as a church body expecting each service to be decent and orderly and it is the responsibility of those in authority to see that that expectation is realized.
Authority is necessary for there to be order, for order brings peace and progress as well as many other benefits.
With regard to children they need to grow up in a tranquil, decent and orderly atmosphere where peace of mind is possible and progress in every area of a child's growth is normal.
Fathers, mothers, you have authority given by God who expects you to use it to let all things be done decently and in order with regard to your children.
All of us should strive to have order and decency in all areas of our lives, especially in our homes, and support those who are in authority in our community.
The Bible is clear about this and those in authority have every right from God to expect your support for they are agents of God Almighty, the God of Absolute Power.
We read (red) this passage before but it is worth reading again:Romans 13:1-4, Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
As in any thing on Earth there will be those who abuse authority and this cannot be tolerated by those responsible.
But abuse of authority does not lessen the importance of exercising the authority you are given.
So I believe we ought to lean heavily in our support of those who are in positions of authority especially when it comes to our children.
Every opportunity you have as a parent to uplift those in authority, such as the police, your governing leaders, your pastor, your own parents should be taken in the presence of your children.
It is so easy to criticize people who are in authority when we perceive an abuse, but parents be very careful in doing this because you may also be planting in your child’s mind a lack of respect for the authority that God has put in place.
For there is no power but of God:
There is always unintended consequences because of your lack of support for those in authority.
It may not come today but turning children against proper constituted authority will eventually bring a corrupt harvest into the life of the child.
So the benefit of the doubt needs to be in the direction of those who operate within the delegated authority of God be they the police, the governors, the teacher or the Pastor.
In this regard relative to our Christian School this united front from parents and teachers is primarily for the benefit of the child.
Dr. Hobbs in his book, For the Good of Your Child said “the worst thing that can happen to your child is not that he be mistreated or not believed, as bad as that kind of thing may be, but that the parents and the school get at odds causing a breakdown in the authority structure over the child. Authority must always stand united in behalf of the child. If the parents and the school have differences, let these be settled privately without the knowledge of the child, but let the child always see unity ... this is for the good of the child.”
When a teacher knows that support from home will be direct and strong, that teacher will be able to accomplish so much more with a student.
But think about the teacher, with relation to a student, who feels that attempts to correct a child will be questioned by the parent.
This brings into the classroom a handicap for the teacher making the teacher less effective in accomplishing some desired objectives in that child's progress.
The value of parents' support cannot be overestimated.
Dr. Hobbs went on to write “Of the many things that must come together to comprise success in the educational process, it is my opinion that none is more important than that those in authority over the child be solidly united. Parents back the school, and the school backs the parents. This combination practically assures success for the child, and after all, isn't that the bottom line?” |