Blessed are the children - as long as they keep it down
Poor Father Ignatius Harrison, Provost of the London Oratory. Spare a thought for him tomorrow. The members of his congregation have been having a hard time sparing him any of their own thoughts because of the disruptive racket made by children during the service. The other Sunday morning he snapped. He forced his voice above the din to announce that there was "no point" in preaching against all the noise, and so he didn't.
One sympathises. When toddlers are turning church into playtime, the problem isn't finding the concentration to have holy thoughts, it's finding the good grace to avoid unholy ones. The repeated whacking of a toy car on the pew behind can be enough to turn even the most irenic of souls into a King Herod contemplating the massacre of the innocent.
For all this, a survey just released by the Church of England has found that 85 per cent of people agree that young children...
Children at my apartment building who scream outside, bothering the whole building: These children have mothers who do the same. Hmmmm, how many a mental break down this has cause for me, because there is no escape.
Yes, we can quote scripture about the foolishness of a child's heart. Let me tell you about my experience with some parents that brought their 3 year old to my church one day with one of those play wooden hammers. The child pounded his hammer onto the back of the pew for 15 minutes straight until the preacher halted his sermon to pray that God would remove the distraction from our midst - and still, these parents were oblivious to their young blooming John Henry. I finally thought it my duty as a God fearing man to attempt what I thought was a gracious jesture by quietly offering to these poor folk the use of our nursery. Wow, from the dirty looks that I received, maybe they thought I offered a 'hearse for thee' instead of a 'nursery' - I don't know. But after the service, these folks abruptly left the church and never returned. Too bad because inspite of the racket that preacher and our entire congregation endured, the preacher's prayer had indeed been heard by God as he preached one of the best gospel messages that I had ever heard, but those folks probably neither heard it with their ears or their heart. So then, say what you will about children and their foolishness - many of them are still running around in adult bodies.
Children today are a problem!....and the parents are the cause! But seriously, do we really love children? Do we abort them? Do we take measures not to have them? Do we send them to strangers to be cared for?
"The repeated whacking of a toy car on the pew behind can be enough to turn even the most"
Blame the parents!!
Today one of the authorities which Liberal society has removed is discipline.
Prov 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Prov 19:18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
Prov 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Prov 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. 17 Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul."
Go thou and teach likewise Ignatius - If you dare to teach the Word of God!
Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.
Matthew 19:13-14 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 21:15-16 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
Mark 9:37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Dr. Joel Beeke | 1/4/2009
COMMENTS | 
