Can My Child Find God at Home Plate?
The Psalmist declared, "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him" (127:3). Christian parents understand their children are gifts from God. From the first joyous announcement, "We're going to have a baby" to the proud moment of graduation, parents are keenly aware of their privilege and responsibility. Many can remember those first days of parenting, standing over their child's bed praying, "Lord, protect and preserve my baby. May he/she know how much I love him/her. May I be the father/mother You've commanded me to be. May our family glorify your Name. May our love for You and each other never die." And so, the journey begins. As our children grow and interact with others, they are introduced to a world of options and opportunities. Love demands we govern and supervise their choices. We are committed to bringing them up in the "nurture and admonition of the Lord." We buy children's Bible stories, take them to church, help them memorize scripture, read to them and pray with them.
Good Christian parents are also concerned about balance. We want them to be able to navigate in a world with differing values, always putting God first without looking like a religious fanatic. How is that done? One avenue is through extracurricular activities, more specifically, sports. Wholesome team play teaches participants a number of favorable character traits - cooperation, dependability, commitment and discipline to name a few. In the early years (5-7 yrs. old) scheduling is not a problem. Most practices and games land on weekdays or Saturday. Mom and Dad enjoy watching their children develop and succeed. Spring and summer weeks may become hectic, normal family routines modified, but, the family is together and Sunday corporate worship is intact.
After a season or two the landscape begins to change. Games may fall on the same night as the church’s children's ministry or on Sunday. All-stars, tournaments and special travel teams can extend the season from May to September. Our wholesome family activity has suddenly turned into a family dilemma. On the one hand we see the importance of team play, commitment and dependability. On the other hand we see the need for children's ministries and corporate worship. If we decide that commitment to the team is important for a testimony and building character, the resulting consequence is a drastic drop in local church participation. How do we solve the problem?
Setting the Example
Unfortunately, some Christian parents have never wrestled with the dilemma. They have concluded, "It's only for four or five months. When we registered our children in the league, they made a commitment to the team. We must teach them to honor their word. We'll go to church when we can. After all, the team would not understand our missing games for church services." That sounds reasonable. God is not a legalist. He doesn't count the number of Sundays we miss, does He?
The problem to this solution is in a loss of focus. The vows we made at our infant's crib expressed our intense desire for him/her to love the Lord. Our prayer sprang from thankful hearts for God's entrusting this treasure for our keeping. Our vision was clear and uncompromising. It seemed so simple in the nursery. But, somehow our clear vision became clouded by good intentions. So, many of us need a fresh glimpse of the past, remembering our calling as parents, and then, asking some important questions. What am I teaching my child if I allow him/her to miss church to participate in sports? Is participation more important than worship? Is commitment to the team more important than commitment to God? Is my Christian testimony enhanced when I observe the Lord's Day in the same way as other non-Christian parents? Am I saying to my children recreation with the world is better for you than fellowship with God's people? Do I want to shape God's gift into an athlete or a solid Christian?
There is no higher calling, no greater privilege and no better vocation than being a Christian parent. Our children are jewels in the family treasure chest. We are called to protect and keep God's jewels. We live in an unregenerate culture constantly attempting to steal the treasure. The most wholesome activities can become the greatest thieves. May God open our hearts and drive us to our knees to defend His gems.
