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Angela (Mom), “Zach, stop slurping your spaghetti.”

Five seconds later…

Angela, “Daniel, stop slurping your spaghetti!”

Zach, “D, if you were paying attention to Pastor Danny’s sermon this morning, you would have learned not to slurp your spaghetti when Mom reprimanded me!”

 

Pastor Danny pointed out how Judah should have learned from God’s discipline of Israel (Ephraim).  They failed, however, to “leave them alone” (4:17) but adopted their idolatrous ways and became guilty themselves (5:5).

I remember when Josiah was born, how he received a lot of discipline.  Comparatively speaking, Zach received very little.  Years later, Zach testified that he watched what happened to his siblings and figured out how to have a more enjoyable childhood.  (Still, I wonder if I was a little too lax with the kid…)  Now I realize he learned, as a child, an important Scriptural lesson supported by Proverbs and Hosea 4:15–5:7: God’s judgment on Israel should have taught Judah (Hos 4:15–18).

Unfortunately, they continued in the sins of Israel (Hos 5:5).  This principle is particularly important for new parents raising their firstborn child.  Do not treat sin lightly!  You are forming patterns for the rest of your children. 

As our children step into their adult years, we continue to use other people and their mistakes as living examples to teach them the right way.  Some find this form of instruction demeaning and mean-spirited.  The idea came from my in-laws during our pre-marital counseling. I then found it supported in Proverbs, “Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence” (Prov 19:25).  Hosea 4–5 teaches a similar truth. Prudence is the ability to see danger ahead and avoid it.  Small worldly concessions like indulging media, laughing at wickedness, and “hanging out” with worldly people form affections that lead to spiritual destruction.

The warning about spiritual failure applies not only to my children but to me as well.  Many Christian leaders make worldly concessions in their personal walk with God, which leads to spiritual collapse.  A couple of weeks ago, we visited a friend’s church where I was able to talk to a retired pastor whom I have known for a long time.  I thanked him for his faithfulness and for how it encouraged me.  Their steady faithfulness through physical decline, mourning loved ones, and continued love for the next generation is encouraging.  The Christian leader who fails serves as a warning, but the death of a faithful man serves as an example.