Shame on Schoo

The Schoos decided they wanted to take a vacation to Mexico, but they had a problem of what to do with their children. Solution? Leave the two children at home (in a suburb of Chicago) for the nine days the parents would be on vacation, with the oldest girl, age nine, in charge of her sister, age four.

The callousness of the parents shocked and dismayed many of us. Questions like "At what age should a child have a responsibility like that?" and "What is abandonment?" or "What kind of punishment is fit for such delinquent parents?" were on many minds. There is no national policy, it appears, with two states giving different definitions, along with different punishments for abandonment and abuse.

The Schoos should be ashamed of themselves. Merely thinking of what could happen to children left to fend for themselves conjures up frightening possibilities that scare reasonable people. Before pointing an accusing finger at the Schoos, it might be best to look at ourselves. After all, there is more than one type of child abuse.

Wonder how many of those getting upset at what might have happened to the Schoo children, have no problems at all with what is happening to unborn children all across America? With one and a half million unborn children legally murdered each year by the abortion process, America ought to bow her head in shame!

Wonder how many children are left alone to discover right and wrong for themselves? To be politically correct nowadays, we must not let our public schools teach absolutes. Let the child discover what is right and wrong in any given situation without direction from an adult, except, of course, on the question of sex and condoms.

Among those who are New Testament Christians, wonder how many really believe in training "up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Prov. 22:6)? How many bring (not just drop off their children to Bible study and worship? How many parents practice honesty, hard work, and decency as an example for their young? Do we "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4)?

Physical child abuse is bad, but any type of abuse is wrong, including spiritual child abuse by thoughtlessness or neglect. Some irreligious parents ignore the need for any spiritual training of their children mainly because they just do not see the need for it.

We call on society to give proper attention to the spiritual child abuse problem. It is possible for you to leave your children "home alone" while you are in the house with them.

Parents must nurture their children "in the chastening and admonition of the Lord" because it carries eternal consequences for both child and parent.

James Russell Lowell said children were "God's apostles, day by day sent forth to preach of love and hope and peace. " The Holy Spirit speaking by the mouth of David said:

Lo, children are a heritage of Jehovah; And the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them (Psa. 127:3-5).

Children are natural mimics - they act like their parents in spite of every attempt to teach them good manners.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity. Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them (Ecclesiastes).