My older grandson made a discovery this week, our piano. He smiled when he stood by it and was able to make noise on it. Quickly I moved his highchair over and let him bang away. I’m doing the opposite of my parents. When I was a child and was intrigued by the sounds of a piano at church, I was quickly hauled away and was told not to “bang on it.” That was something only trained musicians could do. Whatever interest I had in piano playing quickly left. Without a piano at home, and no musicians in my immediate family, I don’t know if I ever would have become a serious piano student, but who knows. With a little encouragement I might have.
My grandson has a bit of an advantage over me. His mother took voice lessons, his aunt plays flute, his grandmother plays piano, as did his late great-grandmother and his father plays bass guitar. He has a genetic musical advantage. Genetics aside. I want to talk about having the opportunity we gave him by having him live with a piano and not discouraging him from trying it. We must place opportunities in front of our children if we are to see their interests and potential.
It disappoints me that few people who want their children baptized give their children opportunities to develop a Christian faith. For many parents, baptism is important, yet exposing them to faith is unimportant. Sports and other activities come before prayer, praise and worship. How can a child develop faith if not exposed to it. By being absent from church, parents have chosen the “no faith” option for their children. This has effects upon our society.
I hear complaints about the “lack of civility” in our political discourse. I agree. Compared to political debates that I remember as a child, we have become course. Gone are the days of civility in debating in politics and speaking to one another. I wonder if this is caused by our lack of faith participation. Religious faithfulness was assumed in the middle part of the 1900’s. The majority of people attended church and Sunday School and our discourse was more polite and loving.
With the reluctance of people to engage in faithful worship, we have the demise of civility. We are now paying the price of parents choosing to not add faith to a child’s activity. Is this really good for individuals or our society? Has our rejection of God served us well.
I encourage parents, especially those who have had their children baptized, to return to church and to bring their children. We all pay the price for children not knowing God and not living within the rules of faith. Children develop what they are exposed to. Should they not be exposed to faith? Faith, I believe, is the cure for our lack of civility toward one another.
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