TIME TO STEP UP

In the movie The Patriot, Capt. Benjamin Martin (played by Mel Gibson) was a widower with seven children. He was forced to step up at a time when he was very reluctant to do so. As a soldier who fought in the French and Indian War, he made a decision to never get involved in any war again because of all the atrocities he had witnessed. But one afternoon, British Col. Tavington, in his high-rounded hat and bright green regimental sash, murdered Capt. Martin’s second son and imprisoned his eldest son, Gabriel (played by Heath Ledger). Because of this, Capt. Martin was forced take up arms and get in the war.

In the world today, our children are attacked left and right. From pornography to violent video games, materialism to peer pressure, our kids are faced with challenges day after day. What are we to do? Are we to take this sitting down? I like how Capt. Martin responded. I could almost hear these words come from his mouth: “Once you try to attack my kids, you’ll have to go through me.”

The Bible says in Ephesians 5:16, Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. We have a small window of time with our children. If we don’t plant now and plant wisely, someone else will—and we don’t know what kinds of seeds they will put in the children’s hearts. But as we plant God’s Word, we know that it will never return empty, for it will accomplish the purpose for which it has been sent.