Child Abuse

The first thought that comes to mind when we hear Child Abuse, is brutal treatment of youngsters. In many cases this is true and Child Abuse is totally wrong. Additionally, however, I see an entirely different side to this degrading and detrimental act in our society today.

A gent once said,

”Any wild animal, given its head without proper training, is not a nice or good thing to be around.”

We all know it is necessary to train a horse, a dog, even a bird, if we want it to behave. Let’s talk about the horse. The colt is an ornery, self-willed critter. He must be “broken” to the halter, the bit and bridle, the saddle and ultimately the rider. All of these steps take time and patience on the part of the trainer, but all it takes for the colt is obedience.

When we say, “all it takes for the colt is obedience”, it sounds simple, but really what it takes is for the trainer to transform the will of the colt from self (what the colt wants to do and how he wants to do it) to what the trainer wants. If the trainer executes his training correctly (including exceptional patience and love), the colt will learn that it is best and beneficial for him to comply. The result is an animal useful for service to a rider for whatever purpose he is trained. Even the colt’s life will be easier and better.

I often have occasion to watch people in the public arena. Some have children that are well mannered and behave as they should. These are in the minority! Others have children that run from parents; that want everything in sight; that cry uncontrollably; that scream continuously at an ear-piercing decibel level for no apparent reason; that tell parents “No!” to virtually all correction (and they get by with it). These are in the majority!

When I speak of these two groups, these are kidos from 1 to 10 years of age. It is clear children of the latter group, the majority, have had no adequate training. Those kids have been left to their own wants and desires, with no proper correction or direction.

I feel strongly, this situation is the root cause of many of the problems our youth encounter today. A few will figure out how to conduct themselves as adults, merely by getting bumps and corrections from society. However, and it’s sad, the majority will find themselves in legal jams; no good way to conduct and raise a family; no adequate training to make a good living. At best, the majority will take whatever jobs they can find, at whatever income they can get (or steal).

The majority of parents, in the 21st century, feel it necessary for both to work. This is done, in so many cases of parents saying, “I want my child to have more and better than I did”. This is as it should be, however, I ask you, What is more? What is better?

Consider the void created in the child’s life by both parents working. Neither have the time nor energy to spend with the youngster to teach him all he must learn in order to operate as designed. The result, immediate and in many cases long term, is chaos. The basic definition of chaos is, “a state of complete disorder and confusion”. That situation (chaos) is exactly as described in the first paragraph of People Watching.

I depict this as Child Abuse! If the animal, child or horse, is not trained, is it his fault? When society gets enough of the chaos and takes corrective action, who pays the price? The animal, of course!!

So, if training is neglected, for whatever reason, whose fault is it? The parents, of course!! That, my friend, is Child Abuse!

When I encounter life-changing questions, even if I think I know the answer, I go to the “Owner’s Manual”, The Bible! There, if I study The Bible with an open mind and ask God to show me the truth, I will find all the answers needed to operate my business (life) to a successful end.

If we look at Hebrews 5:8, we find the writer talking about Jesus. “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered” It plainly gives us a picture of Jesus having to learn obedience and by my interpretation it was by the way of training (things which he suffered ) that was not always pleasant. By the way, this was not Child Abuse!

Check out James 3:3, ”Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body”. Why does the horse respond to the slight tug on the bridle?

It is because he has learned obedience by the things he suffered! When he was being trained, the bit hurt his mouth when it was pulled one way or the other. If he resisted enough, it would even cut his mouth. It didn’t take long for him to learn that obedience was the better course of action.

Obviously, I’m not suggesting that we insert a bit in our child’s mouth, or any other type of Child Abuse. However, I am suggesting that adequate “training” be exerted to correct any and all disobedience.

Read Proverbs, Chapter 13, particularly verse 24, ”He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes”. It plainly says, if we love our child, we correct him early or in good time. If we do not perform that function, that duty, I say we do not love him; we may even hate him; at best it is Child Abuse!

I invite you to study this God I serve, His Son, Jesus and His Holy Spirit by digesting God’s Operations Manual for our Life, the Bible. If you care to walk with Him, He will provide the care and direction you need through the Holy Spirit. I sure find it much easier to walk with Him, put Him first and in charge of my life than to try to do it under my own steam. If I stay out of the way, the outcome is never in doubt! It sure would have been much better if I had learned this much earlier in life.

It is my prayer that you find something to touch your spirit and cause that empty space, which is created without the walk with God, to be filled and overflowing. May God bless you and yours as you are obedient to Him.

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