The Preacher's Pen

Nothing causes our nation more concern than seeing children in trouble. From Jessica McClure down a well in Midland to the kids caught in David Koresh's deathtrap in Waco to the girls killed in Jonesboro we can get our national indignation running high in a hurry over hurt children. Perhaps thisis because kids are helpless, or because we easily see our own children and grandchildren in these places of terror and death. We are concerned about kids, aren't we?

Yet I wonder how far our concern extends. What level of interest do we have in our children's spiritual safety? I fully expect this issue of Abundant Life to be well received, for we are interested in helping kids overcome drugs, face fears, and deal with anger properly. Those are fine concerns, but they make an appearance in these pages only because they have spiritual touch points. Kids sin when they do drugs. Kids must identify with Christ and do what is right as He did, despite fears. Kids must be angry without sinning. That is why we pulled these ideas together in this issue -- not because we desire in some way to be a Christian version of Prevention magazine.

Our focus here is eternal and spiritual. In that light, how much sense does it make to buckle your kids' seatbelts but never read them the Bible? What does it say when we make certain they always wear a bike helmet, but never take them to Bible class? In short, are we so caught up in physical safety that we have forgotten to insure our children's spiritual safety?

It is tragic when kids lose their lives to senseless crimes like at Jonesboro. However, it is even more tragic when a child grows to adulthood without knowing Jesus and his or her soul is lost eternally. One tragedy has consequences here. The other lasts forever. Make sure you are valuing soul safety as much as physical safety!