THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD PARENTING

Raising godly children is a major theme of the Old Testament. The nation of Israel's history is full of examples of how one father who failed to give good spiritual direciton to his children laid a foundation for greater problems in the future. You might say this is one of the major themes of the OT.

I used to be a little uncomfortable with the Old Testament, because it seemed to be teaching a kind of Jewish-centered racism, with Israel as the good guys and everyone else as unloved enemies. Through New Testament eyes, that seemed mean-spirited and like cruel prejudice.

But let me see it again in light of Deuteronomy 6 and other passages that tell us why and how of godly parenting.

Some fathers failed with their sons, who reaped immediate consequences for their sin. Aaron and Eli had sons who should have been effective priests, trained by their fathers, but they died as a result of their sins, unchecked by their fathers.

But even more devastating are the beginnings of whole nations of people who continued in rebellion against the Lord, rather than being struck down in the first generation. Consider Ishmael as the beginning of the Arab nation, and his descendants are still sworn enemies of Jews today. Or consider Moab and Ammon, who were the sons (and grandsons) of Lot, who had incestuous relations with his daughters, who grew up surrounded by Sodomite culture. These people were "cousins" of Israel, yet the Israelites were told to destroy them completely, and their influence of idolatry and child sacrifice led Israel astray.

Imagine extended family gatherings in those early years. There's cousin Ammon, who has chosen an "alternative lifestyle" from the rest of the family. His talk, his humor, his values and his worship are different. Then his children and grandchildren continue to be different, and they don't attend the family reunions anymore. A couple more generations down the road, they oppose and even go to war against their distant relatives, vying for the same land.

How does this sad scenario happen? A father neglects to warn or lead his sons. Even Israel itself divided as a nation when Solomon failed to raise his son Rehoboam well, just as his father David has failed with Absalom, only this time with permanent results. Happily, God can overcome one generation's sins. Ruth was a Moabite, and Jesus came from her line. Jesus went to Samaria and won over a woman and a whole village there. Eventually, the Gospel overcame "race." That's the New Testament healing. But the Old Testament wound is also an important lesson for all families, and especially all fathers, today.