What If
WHAT IF?
The proper arranging of priorities is required of Christians. God has always demanded first place in the lives of His people. (Ex. 20:3-6; Mt. 6:33; 22:37) The home is the best place for proper priorities to be indelibly written on the hearts of children. Consider the following situations. If these occur in our homes, what type of impressions are being made upon our children?
What if we are early to ball games, work and most other activities, but late to worship services?
What if we see that our children always do their homework, but never see that their Bible school lessons are completed or correct?
What if our children are not allowed to stay up late on week nights because of school the next morning, but are allowed to stay up so late on Saturday night that they are unable to attend Sunday morning services or sleep during services because of being tired?
What if our children are not allowed to miss school unless they are sick, but they are allowed to miss worship services simply because they do not want to attend?
What if the names of our children’s school teachers are known, but we cannot think of their Bible school teacher or any of their Bible school classmates?
What if we are willing to serve as an officer in the PTA or teacher’s aid, but never offer to assist with the Bible classes?
What if we attend the school’s open house, all our children’s school plays, and always make a point to be at their school activities, but usually send them to worship without us?
What if we will not take our vacation so as to cause our children to miss any days of school, but we have no concern at all with missing worship services while traveling?
What if our children see us anxiously look at and even proudly display their school work on the refrigerator, but rarely pay attention to the work they bring home from Bible school?
What if our children see us spend freely on extracurricular school activities, but groan at giving a few dollars to the work of the Lord?
What if they see us making sure we never miss work–even if we’re tired, but thinking little of staying home from the worship services for the same reason?
We strongly influence our children and others by the way we live our lives. What priorities are we demonstrating by our choices?
— Wendell Winkler