Purge the Poison
It's no secret that society's moral decay is on a fast downward spiral. All you have to do is turn on the television, hop on social media, pass a few billboards on the freeway, or walk the halls of a high school. Moral values that were once the norm are now the less popular approach to life. You can also see it in the numbers. Young adults postponing marriage until their late twenties, or avoiding it all together, often choosing cohabitation as an alternative lifestyle. This alone is alarming because people become more set in their ways as they get older so it might become that much more challenging for someone putting marriage off to ever be ready to commit. Divorce rates are on a historic high as well, and the debate of same sex marriage continues to find its place, often with greater urgency than these other topics mentioned. All of these factors - young adults postponing or avoiding marriage, divorce, cohabitation, out of wedlock births, abortions, and same sex marriage rates rising, and the overall lowering of societal standards, is concerning because these factors affect the family unit and the family unit plays a crucial role in society's success - even survival!!
In addition to these concerns there is an even greater one: children tend to follow in their's parents' footsteps. Carlfred Broderick, professor of sociology at University of Southern California said it well:
"As the Lord explained to Moses, the iniquities of one generation are often visited upon the heads of following generations. (See Exodus 20:5). Anyone can see the truth of that saying by looking at many families in the world today. Often, troubled families seem to pass on their pain and darkness - virtually intact - to their children and grandchildren. The victim of one generation becomes the victimizer of the next."
I've seen this myself working with the youth at church. One girl in particular comes to mind. By age thirteen she was already accustomed to her mother's promiscuous lifestyle with different men coming and going on a regular basis, drugs and alcohol decorating her living room with its nasty aftermath, and poverty. She was also regularly tasked with the caring for her younger brothers and even, on occasion, grocery shopping for the family. While her behavior was understandably challenging, untrustworthy, disrespectful, and ungrateful, I couldn't fault her too much. After all, she was learning these behaviors from her mother. When I was working with this girl, I often asked myself the question, is there any hope for her? Well, Broderick goes on to say this:
"Indeed, my experience in various church callings and in my profession as a family therapist has convinced me that God actively intervenes in some destructive lineages, assigning a valiant spirit to break the chain of destructiveness in such families. Although these children may suffer innocently as victims of violence, neglect, and exploitation, through the grace of God some find the strength to "purge" the poison within themselves, refusing to pass it on to future generations. Before them were generations of destructive pain, after them the line flows clear and pure. Their children and children's children will call them blessed."
I am left to believe that the Lord allows for these challenging times in the lives of some of His children. We don't understand it, but He does. And for many, there is hope to "purge the poison," to recognize one's value and potential, and to refuse to keep the streak alive that for decades has plagued one's family.
In addition to these concerns there is an even greater one: children tend to follow in their's parents' footsteps. Carlfred Broderick, professor of sociology at University of Southern California said it well:
"As the Lord explained to Moses, the iniquities of one generation are often visited upon the heads of following generations. (See Exodus 20:5). Anyone can see the truth of that saying by looking at many families in the world today. Often, troubled families seem to pass on their pain and darkness - virtually intact - to their children and grandchildren. The victim of one generation becomes the victimizer of the next."
I've seen this myself working with the youth at church. One girl in particular comes to mind. By age thirteen she was already accustomed to her mother's promiscuous lifestyle with different men coming and going on a regular basis, drugs and alcohol decorating her living room with its nasty aftermath, and poverty. She was also regularly tasked with the caring for her younger brothers and even, on occasion, grocery shopping for the family. While her behavior was understandably challenging, untrustworthy, disrespectful, and ungrateful, I couldn't fault her too much. After all, she was learning these behaviors from her mother. When I was working with this girl, I often asked myself the question, is there any hope for her? Well, Broderick goes on to say this:
"Indeed, my experience in various church callings and in my profession as a family therapist has convinced me that God actively intervenes in some destructive lineages, assigning a valiant spirit to break the chain of destructiveness in such families. Although these children may suffer innocently as victims of violence, neglect, and exploitation, through the grace of God some find the strength to "purge" the poison within themselves, refusing to pass it on to future generations. Before them were generations of destructive pain, after them the line flows clear and pure. Their children and children's children will call them blessed."
I am left to believe that the Lord allows for these challenging times in the lives of some of His children. We don't understand it, but He does. And for many, there is hope to "purge the poison," to recognize one's value and potential, and to refuse to keep the streak alive that for decades has plagued one's family.
Comments
Post a Comment