REFLECTIONS
God’s greatest and
Children
Are Forever!
Every time a child is born there is another soul
that is going to live forever! It’s the biggest miracle
since the creation of the world! One little babe is
worth more than anything man can make and is
going to last longer!
◆ he’s going to learn in his whole life before he’s five
Almost two centuries ago men followed the
events of General Napoleon’s march of conquest
across Europe, waiting with bated breath for any
news of the outcome of his various wars. All the
while, babies were being born in their own homes.
But who could think about babies? Everybody was
thinking about battles!
However, in that one year, 18O9, there came
into the World several babies who were destined to
become stars of the greatest magnitude—William
Gladstone, considered by many as Britain’s
greatest statesman of the 19th century; Abraham
Lincoln, one of America’s most famous Presidents;
Alfred Lord Tennyson, the celebrated poet laure-
ate of Britain; and Louis Braille, the blind inventor
of the widely used Braille system of reading for
the blind! But while they were being born, no one
thought of babies, just battles. Yet which of the bat-
tles of 18O9 mattered more than the babies of 18O9?
Some fancy that God can manage His world
only with big battalions, when all the while He is
doing it by babies! Whenever a wrong needs right-
ing, or a truth needs preaching, God sends a baby
into the world to do it!
◆ to leave a child to make up his own mind without
A baby is a small member of the home that
makes love stronger, days shorter, nights longer,
the bankroll smaller, the home happier, the past
forgotten, and the future worth living for.
◆ can, and who does it right and the way you know
most precious gift
is His love in a
little child!
A perfect example of minority rule is a baby in
the house!
◆
Never minimize the training of your children.
Did you know that a child learns 8O% of what
years old? So think how important it is that you
teach them the right things during those first for-
mative years!—It’s going to be 8O% of everything
that they’re ever going to learn. No wonder the
Bible says that if you train up a child in the way he
should go, when he is old he will not depart from
it. (See Proverbs 22:6).
These first five years are extremely important.
You can’t wait till your child is five years old be-
fore you begin teaching him. Every single day is
important, and what they learn each day is impor-
tant. You as a parent are responsible to see to it that
they are not only fed, clothed, protected, and are
healthy, but also that they are taught God’s word,
trained in His truth and inspired with His love!
Some people have the wrong idea of just letting
their kids go. “If they learn, they learn, and if they
don’t, they don’t.” Well, we don’t believe in forc-
ing children to learn something they don’t want
to learn, but they do want to learn; they’re happier
and feel more fulfilled and at peace when they are
learning; and can learn a lot more with your assis-
tance than if you just leave them idle, without any
guidance, help or encouragement to learn!
In fact, it is entirely unscriptural and anti-God
first informing, guiding and encouraging him!
For “a child left to himself bringeth his mother to
shame!” (Proverbs 29:15). If you haven’t got the
time to train and take care of your children, then
for your child’s sake, find someone competent who
 REFLECTIONS

it ought to be done! That is every parent’s respon- any untruths with which they disagree.
sibility!—David Brandt Berg That way the TV becomes a teaching tool, instead
of an unleashed monster flooding children’s impres-
◆ sionable minds with violence, foolishness and de-
Children are like flowers in your garden: They are structive garbage! The criterion should not be, “will it
a gift from God, but you’ve got to take care of them! hurt them?” but, “Is it good for them?” Is it profitable,
inspiring and does it teach a good lesson?
◆
The kind of person your child is going to be, he ◆
is already becoming. The young wife who had recently become a
mother met a woman who had nine children. “But
◆ how can you manage to take care of nine children?
Throughout the ages no nation has ever had a We only have one and he takes all of our time!” the
better friend than the mother who taught her chil- awe-struck young mother asked.
dren to pray! “Well, that’s just it,” the wise mother of nine
answered simply. “If one takes all your time, then
◆ nine can’t take any more!”
Daniel Webster, early American orator and
Secretary of State for three U.S. Presidents, said, “If
there is anything in my thoughts or style of writing When God gives you
to commend, the credit is due to my parents for in- children, they are like a gift
stilling in me an early love of the Scriptures!” on loan from Him. They
are His children, God gave
◆ them, but He wants you to
The best inheritance a parent can give to his take care of them and train
children is a few minutes of his time each day. The them. You’ve got to actu-
best thing to spend on children is time! ally feel like it is your duty
to God and that you are
◆ doing it in obedience and love for Him and for
Always try to treat children with respect and con- them. And when you’re old, you’ll be thankful
sideration. Greet them when you arrive and say good- that you did your best to raise them with the
bye to them or pray with them when you leave. Try help and love of God.—And they will be too!
to say goodnight and pray with your children if you You are investing in eternity when you in-
can, or if you can’t be there, be sure somebody does. vest your time, love and effort in your children,
because children are forever! Those eternal lives
◆ are going to last forever, and everything you’ve
The TV can become one of the most destructive put into them is going to count! May God help
forces in the home if not used with great wisdom, us to be good stewards of the most precious
prayer, and discretion. Children really should not be gifts He’s given us—our children!
allowed free rein to watch any movies or programs Lord, You have promised in Your Word
they want to without supervision and without your that if we “train up our children in the way
helping them with the choice and selection. they should go, when they are old, they
Whenever possible, parents should preview mov- won’t depart from it!” (Proverbs 22:6). Help
ies or programs before they’re shown to children! Or each mother and father to lovingly, diligent-
know the general theme or characteristics of the se- ly, and prayerfully care for their children, in
ries to be sure it is good for them. Actually, the ideal Jesus’ name, amen.
would be if parents could watch TV programs with Do you?
younger children whenever possible, so they can ex- —David Brandt Berg
plain things that the kids don’t understand, or dispel

R8
Reflections © 1992 The Family
David Brandt Berg (1919–1994) was founder of The Family.
Visit our Web site at www.thefamily.org.

If you’d like more inspirational reading, subscribe to Activated!

Contact the address on this sheet or visit www.activated.org.

R300 GP—March 2004 Topics: death, Heaven, loved ones waiting on the other side, faith