LightGrams
January 24, 2019
Volume 23, Number 4
It’s safe to say that the 11-year-old child getting out of the car last week at W.J. Murphy Elementary School was pretty pumped. After all, he had driven himself to school that day! Also in the car were a 9-year-old and the father of the driver, Khafilu Oshodi. When the kids exited the car, Oshodi slid over on the front seat and drove away.
Later that day an arrest warrant was issued for Oshodi by the Round Lake Park (IL) Police Department. He is charged with child endangerment and driving while license is suspended (from an accident on January 9). It was also revealed that the car driven that day was a stolen rental car. At last report, Oshodi had not yet been apprehended.
I totally agree that allowing an 11-year-old child to drive, especially in a school drop-off area with several other vehicles and children, is a case of “child endangerment”. But I wonder about allowing children to navigate electronic media without supervision or precautionary counsel. Is that safe?
I didn’t experience the Internet as a child. Growing up in Southeastern Kentucky I learned how to navigate the two (two!) television channels that were available to us. In those days the programs were offerings like “Gilligan’s Island”, “The Brady Bunch”, or “Bonanza”. Today children can stumble upon all kinds of offerings that can turn their impressionable minds in dark and frightening directions. Dangers are ahead!
“Train up a child in the way he should go,” counseled the wise man, “and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). That’s not meant to be an ironclad guarantee that a proper raising will produce flawless children. The father of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-24) represents God, but even His children go astray at times. But if children are not trained up in the right ways, how can they choose what is good?
The book of Proverbs contains many excellent lessons, but the overall lesson of the book should not be missed: “My son, if you receive my words, and treasure up my commands within you … then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path” (Proverbs 2:1,9). Parents who care about their children will make time to instruct them in the right ways.
It begins with a child’s father (Ephesians 6:4), but mothers play a vital role, too (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14,15). Can parents put too much loving stress on learning the difference between right and wrong?
God gave Israel the standard we should still follow: “You shall teach [His words] diligently to your children” (Deuteronomy 6:7). One day they’re going to navigate the highways and the Internet. Being able to spot dangers coming at them is vital!
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2019, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “[email protected]” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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