When Jesus said, "You must let little children come to me, and you must never prevent their coming," (Luke 18:16 Phillips), He emphasized an important truth which was never to be forgotten. He did not want His followers to become so engrossed in their many responsibilities that they would forget the children. He even suggested that if one offends or leads astray a little child who believes in Him, he would be better off thrown into the sea with a millstone around his neck. Punishment for neglecting the children is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom (Lam. 4:6).
A man was playing with his boy. The exercise was a bit strenuous, and someone suggested that he might get a backache after working so hard all day. He replied that he preferred to have a backache than a heartache later on. Homes and churches will be heartbroken if they neglect their youth.
We hear the expression "boys will be boys," but there is more to it than that. Boys will be men. If these lads and lassies are properly guided now, they will carry high the banner we once unfurled. Young Bobby of 2000 will be Robert of 2010. He may become a college president, a doctor, an evangelist, or the president of a conference.
What can we do for the boys and girls? We can live the right example before them, we can form close friendships with them, we can be sympathetic with them in their joys and in their sorrows, we can be certain that they attend a Christian school, and we can put them to work for Christ.
There is a lot we can do for the boys and girls if we begin soon enough.
Charles Spurgeon was right when he said, "Building boys is better than mending men."
V^ W. Becker, Secretary, Department of Education, Southern Union Conference
