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Bible shows tbat the Father and the
Son deeply love one another - that
they share all things together - that
they are "one" in mind, personality
and character.
So tben, as long as family loyalty
and love are subordinated to the love
and obedience we should give to God
Himself, they are a good thing.
Teach your sons and daughters to
love one another, to help eacb other,
and to remain loyal to any member of
the famíly in the way God would have
us do. This does NOT mean approval
of the conduct of a rebellious criminal
or support of a sinner against God
Himself! But it DOES mean that -
even when a brother's attitude is
wrong - you will still "help" him by
having concern and by appealing to
bim to listen to reason and to wake
up while there is yet time. It means
that in the event of physical danger or
hardship, all the other brothers and
sisters would go to tbe rescue of the
one in trouble!
This kind of
esprit de corps
BJNDS a
family together in tbe right way -
and protects and preserves family
character and integrity in the way
Almigbty God intended!
A striking example of this is found
even in the
life
of the "father of
the faithful," the prophet Abrabam.
Tbe account in Genesis
14:
1·16
reveals tbat when Abraham's nephew,
Lot, was taken prisoner by sorne
enemy kings from nearby city-states,
Abrabam carne to his rescue.
"And wben Abram beatd that hís
brother [technically, nepbew] was
taken captive, he armed bis trained
servants, both in bis own bouse, three
hundred and eigbteen, and pursued
them unto Dan. . . . And he brought
back all the goods, and also brougbt
again bis brother Lot, and his goods,
and tbe women also, and the people"
(Gen.
14:14-16).
Yes, Abraham organized his own
prívate army and charged out to rescue
bis young nephew, Lot, and saved bis
life and bis goods. For, as Abraham
bad said, they were
brethren
-
they
belonged to the same family - and
20
they had a deep-seated feeling of loy–
alty and !ove.
So tell your children this story. Tell
the older boys and girls to watch out
for and take care of the younger ones.
Teach aU of them to go to the rescue
of the others. And then show them
that this concern, kindness, and LOVE
can grow and overflow to otbers, as
well as to members of their own fam–
ily. But tbis Love must be learned first
of all and most of all in the home and
in tbe family!
Make Family Prayer a Habit
Teach yourself to lead your family
daily in getting on its knees before
the Creator God. fdeally, this may be
done either in the morning before
school and work, or in the evening
before going to bed. Teacb your chil–
dren to
taLk to God
as a Father. Do
NOT stress memorized prayers or stiff,
formal approaches to God. Rather,
teach your children to
~alk
from their
hearts to the One tbat they can
increasingly feel is a "Father" - the
One who has made them, loves them,
protects them, and has in mind their
everlasting good.
Follow the
app1'ot~ch
of Jesus' out–
line of prayer - falsely called the
"Lord's Prayer" - given in Matthew
6:9-13. Help them to learn to ask God
for their daily needs, for strength and
wisdom, and for His blessing and
guidance in their daily Jives. And in
all their praying, teach them to be
thankful for living in the blessed cir–
cumstances which most of us in the
Western world do!
At mealtime, set the example by
giving sincere, heartfelt, nonmemo–
rized thanks for the blessings of food
and shelter from the Creator God.
Occasionally, the father or mother may
wish to have the children tbemselves
lead in prayer at mealtimes - guid–
ing their prayer if they falter.
Then, in the morning or evening
family prayer sessions, the father
should take the lead and talk to God
about the blessiogs that have beeo
given to the family. Ask Him for help
and guidance in the problems and
activities that tbe family faces. And
ask also for His guidance in world
aifairs, in your nation and for its
rulers, and for His special blessing on
His Work, which is announcing to the
world the Message God sent by Jesus
Christ. Then, the mother should
briefty pray from her heart and add
those things which are fitting, and
then each cbild should in turn pray –
with the father conduding with a
brief summary prayer at the end.
In all of this, teach your children
the REALITY of the true Goo OF CR.E–
ATJON! Read and go over with them
in the family study periods, for ex–
ample, our fuli-color booklet
A
Whale of a TaLe.
lt
exposes the theory
of evolution and illustrates the won–
drous beauty, design, interdependency,
and love expressed by God in His
creation.
Then teach them the spirit of dedi–
cation and service - and to talk from
the heart to the Creator as their own
Father.
In conclusion, 1 would like to point
out tbat tbe above points provide a
marvelous opportunity -
through
family trainíng, study, prayer, work,
play and fellowship, loyalty and LOVE
- to prevent mental sickness in your
children, to insure that they will
NEVER become juvenile delinquents or
criminals, to give them the keys which
will lead to genuine success in tbis
Life, and to give them the basic guide–
posts and the inspiration to achieve
the only real and final success -
eter–
na/ life
and a position of RULERSHIP
in the Kingdom of Almigbty God!
Remember: "Blessed is every one
that feareth the Lord; that walketb in
HIS WAYS.... Thy wife shall be as a
fruitful vine by the sides of thine
house: thy children like olive plants
round about thy table... . yea, thou
shalt see thy children's children, and
peace upon Israel" (Psalm 128:1 -6) .
The great Creator of the heavens
and the earth is CONCERNED about
yom opportunity to build stability and
joy into your home and family life. He
has revealed to you "HJs WAYS."
Be sure you do
yottr
part
in putting
them into practice - always. •
PLAIN TRUTH May 1972