Parents Know Your Children - Church Know Their Parents

Granted, I haven’t really stayed up-to-date with all the news surrounding Rifqa Bary, who has seemingly been labeled the Christian Convert in more than a few articles, but in reading a few reports today of her apparent runaway with the help of church leadership, I couldn’t help but consider a few thoughts in regards to the situation.

1. One article states that Rifqa met the persons of Global Revolution Church through Facebook. This brings up the question; do we know what our children are doing on the internet, and who they may be conversing with online? What are they searching for or being presented with, and what types of topics or activities are they taking part in? Are they beneficial or harmful to the mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing of our children? We can’t and won’t know, unless we take an active role in the personal lives of our sons and daughters. This is not limited to just the internet or cell phone contacts, but also such communication with others from family, church, school, and the neighborhood.

2. There is also the mentioning that Rifqa was apparently previously baptized without the knowledge or consent of her parents. As one who is a member and attends a local Baptist church, I believe we need to remember the biblical God-given leadership of the home as being to the father, as the legal given to the parents, and not try to usurp authority over such. I believe it is more important to try and reach the parents, rather than create animosity or separation between the parent and the child (especially under 18). Conversion takes place in the heart/spirit/soul of an individual and the Holy Spirit, through repentance of sin and faith in Christ; whereas baptism is merely the outward act of obedience of a good conscience toward that faith, and could be delayed if necessary.

3. It appears that the church leadership based their judgments of coercing or helping the girl to run away from home on the words of Rifqa herself, but I can’t help but wonder if possibly preconceived ideas from the mass resources on negative Islamic faith and practices from the news media and elsewhere played a part in their reasoning also. Again, are we not to at least attempt to contact the parents of a child of whom we have confiding in us, or try our best to investigate the claims to see if there is any merit to them? There have been plenty of stories children have told to only later find out they were somewhat misunderstanding the complete story and some outright lying, so should we not be hesitant in making judgments regarding children and their parents till we searched out the truth and find support for the claims we are given?

4. Rifqa’s father claims he loves her, and that she is free to practice any religions she wants. He also states that she has been labeling herself as a Christian since 14 years old, so why would Rifqa now believe or declare a fear of physical harm from her father? As a father, it would break my heart to hear my daughter claim she feared for her safety or life because of me. We are supposed to be the protectors of our children, with our homes a safe haven for them to run to when the whole world seems to be falling down around them. If our children feel they have been rejected by all, they should know we as their fathers (and mothers) are here for them. Even in poor judgment and at times they need correction, they should know it is done in love and for their benefit.

My points here have less to do specifically about the situation with Rifqa (for I am far lacking in information to judge all the factors of such a case), and more as a thinking process of what would/should we do if we were presented with a similar situation within our home or at our church. Parents – we should know our children! And church members – we need to know the parents of the children that may come to our church or contact us without their dad or mom. We are to be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves; therefore let us pray and act upon intelligent decisions.

Purity For Sale

A friend of mine sent me a link from the LA News, talking about triplets that work at McDonalds in Forth Worth.

To my dismay, on the side panel labeled Most Viewed News, there was an article entitled ‘Dad Sells Girl, Calls Cops to Complain He Wasn't Paid’ and another titled ‘22-Year-Old's Virginity Auction Bids Hit $3.7M’.

As a father, whether Christian or non, is there not something in everyone of us that desires to protect our daughters? Or, has this world become so entangled in self-gratification that we no longer care for anyone but ourselves? Apparently the father of a fourteen year old girl attempted to sell his daughter ‘for $16,000 and 100 cases of beer, along with several cases of meat and other items.’ Is that all his precious daughter’s purity is worth to him? May the God of Heaven never allow my senses to desensitize to such levels concerning my children.

From there we move to the girl who would sell her purity to the highest bidder. Has she no self respect or self merit, as concerning the value of her abstinence of fornication and the keeping of herself a virgin for the future husband worthy of her purity? Does her father find himself in prayer and weeping, as she looks to guidance in that ‘her sister was able to pay for her college education after prostituting herself for three weeks?’ How is one that wishes to fulfill their ‘advanced degree in family and marriage therapy’ able to offer their most blessed possession so frivolously to any man with the most money? May the Spirit move upon her heart, to have her see the folly of such a proposition.

Heavy upon my heart are these stories, having a daughter myself. What then were the things which led these people down these certain paths? Have they ever been told of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the blessed hope of the forgiveness of sins? Do these stories bother you? What are we doing about it, concerning our witness to our own children?

Graduation to Deviation

The school year is almost over and thousands of young adults will be graduating high school across the United States. Many will go to college, numerous to the military, others to jobs, and some haven’t really decided what to do yet.

As a child grows the parents have/had the responsibility to instruct, discipline, and love that child to the best of their ability. Some are/were able to do a better job than others do to different circumstances, but all should be/have focused on preparing their child to face the trials, pitfalls, and enjoyments of adult life.

My fear is the deviation of the young adults from the wise instruction of the parents as they become “free” to do as they please as adults. I realize that everything one may get from their parents is not correct, but hopefully the good out ways the bad by this time. Neither the parents nor the young are perfect, but the greater responsibility lies on the parents from God Himself.

I fear that while we as Christian parents make sure our child is in Sunday school and church, we fail to create a lifestyle of Christianity. What I mean is that while we believe it is right (by tradition or conviction) that our children should learn the Bible verses and stories, we ourselves do not feel it necessary to study the Scriptures or live as though we honestly believe them.

A child and young person can clearly see hypocrisy. We as adults cannot hide it from them. We often brag about such when we say things as “Because I am the daddy” or “Do as I say” when we are questioned with “Why can you do it” after we tell them it is not right for them to do.

While we ensure that they learn the things of God are we creating a distaste of Him and His Word to our children by not living what we preach? Do they hold the things of Scripture in their minds no different than that of secular learning without it sinking into their hearts?

Do we ensure their learning of spiritual things of God only one day a week for seventeen or eighteen years to only have then reject and deviate from such because we have failed in a lifestyle that is pleasing to God and a godly example to what we want them to learn? They will learn more from our example than simple text book knowledge without responsibility.

Shall the teachings of Christianity perish from them as those things which they have learned in school that they dislike or fail to use in everyday life? If not in their hearts, I fear it may very well happen.

At graduation day we are a little late to recapture the years that we should have done better when we had the time and ability to do so. Yet all is not lost, for through prayer and lifestyle we can hopeful keep them mindful of the things of God that they have learned while growing up. It is too late the force them into subjection to the authority of God after graduation for it will only create rebellion. We must live the Christian talk as we should always (from before they were born or our conversion till now), be compassionate, and trust that God’s Word will not return void.

To a young adult reading this that may be thinking that the Christian things they were taught as a child are not true or you feel a desire to rebellion against them because of hypocrisy you have seen, I ask that you ponder the Word of God in your heart and see that Christ is the example that we must follow. Our parents may faultier and those we look up to may disappoint us, yet no one is without sin but our Savior Jesus Christ. Regardless of the ones around you whether “good” or “bad” Christians, I pray that you have a desire to trust and follow Christ as Lord and Savior, and live the way you believe a Christian should.