Hypocrisy and Contradiction (1/27/22)
Most of you know we’re in a cultural war. Those on the left constantly contradict themselves. While a child is in the womb, they say, the mother owns it and can do as she will. From the time the child is born, however, the “child belongs to the state”—they can teach it what they want to! Without the parents!
Whose child is it then? God’s!! Each child is a son or daughter made in his image! He gives parents responsibility for their children to teach and train and protect them in their formative years. There is no room in God’s plan for the state to own or educate the children without the parents! Yet we actually hear those words (implied for so long) spoken out loud! Public education can only succeed in partnership with parents. The parents are clearly the moral teachers and examples for their children in God’s design:
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk to them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:6
Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4
If parents want to delegate some basic skills to public educators, many of whom do a wonderful job, that’s fine. But life skills are different from philosophy and morality. That’s the job of parents. Education used to focus on reading, writing, math, science and history. Public education can do a great job in those areas. But it has become increasingly infected with theories, worldly philosophies and grievance issues.
Moreover, some of public education has encroached on parental responsibility. In football that’s called “off sides.” Too much of public education teaches secular humanism, a worldview without God. Sometimes humanism becomes a religion in itself. That is the result when respect for religious belief is not taught. The same people who say religion cannot be taught are actually teaching one!
We need to pray for all our educators, especially those who are holding the line of respect for religion and parents. And may we as a culture return to teaching logic. After all, many people today believe things that are self-contradictory. Everyone has an equal right to their opinion, but not all opinions are equally right! We can be open minded without being empty headed. Opposites cannot all be true! We all have to guard against feeling morally superior to those with whom we disagree. May God help us and guide us to Truth. He is the only way to Truth because he is the Truth.
God, help us to identify the hypocrisy and contradictions of those around us. Help us to realize that Truth begins and ends with you. Yet, keep us humble and loving in the midst of the culture war. Sometimes, however, we will be a stumbling block to those who do not want truth. That is unavoidable. So help us to be strong without being obnoxious.
May truth be restored to its place in our educational system. Bless those teachers and administrators who try to hold the line for traditional values. But regardless, help us to be true to our children by raising them in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Let us remember that you discipline those you love and we must also.
May your Name be praised by all those who look to you and may people be drawn to you as we lift up Jesus: the way, the truth and the life. In his Name, Amen.