WHAT TO DO WITH PRODIGAL CHILDREN PART 6 OF 10
Text- Luke 15:11-32
INTRODUCTION
JAMES DOBSON BEGAN HIS BOOK, "THE STRONG -WILLED CHILD" WITH A STORY ABOUT A WOMEN WITH SEVEN RAMBUNCTIOUS CHILDREN THAT BOARDED A LOS ANGELES BUS AND SAT IN THE SEAT BEHIND HIM. THE WOMAN'S HAIR WAS A MESS AND THE GAUNT LOOK ON HER FACE REVEALED A STATE OF UTTER EXHAUSTION. AS SHE STUMBLED PAST HIM WITH HER WIGGLING TRIBE, HE ASKED, "DO ALL OF THESE CHILDREN BELONG TO YOU, OR IS THIS SOME KIND OF PICNIC!" THE WOMAN LOOKED AT DOBSON THROUGH HER SUNKEN EYES AND REPLIED, "THEY'RE ALL MINE, AND BELIEVE ME MISTER, IT'S NO PICNIC!"
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, LITTLE SCREAMING BUNDLES OF NEW LIFE HAVE BEEN COMING INTO THIS WORLD.
NEW PARENTS OFTEN PUT US INTO A DIFFICULT POSITION WHEN THEIR NEWBORN BABY IS JUST A FEW DAYS OLD AND THEY SAY, "ISN'T THAT JUST THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BABY YOU'VE EVER SEEN?"
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT MOST NEWBORNS ARE NOT VERY ATTRACTIVE AT BIRTH.
YET EVERY PARENT NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE THINKS THEIR CHILDREN ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL IN THE WORLD.
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING EVERY PARENT DREAMS OF THE DAY WHEN THEIR CHILDREN WILL GROW UP AND ... LEAVES HOME ... NO, I'M JUST KIDDING!
EVERY FATHER DREAMS THAT WHEN THEIR SON GROWS UP THEY WILL BE GREAT LIKE ALBERT EINSTEIN, MICHAEL JORDAN OR BILLY GRAHAM.
EVERY MOTHER BELIEVES THAT THEIR DAUGHTER WILL ONE DAY BECOME A MATURE WOMAN AND BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN.
PARENTS BELIEVE THAT THEIR CHILDREN WILL GROW UP TO BECOME MORALLY STRONG AND HAVE SPIRITUAL CONVICTIONS.
THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL BE DEVOTED TO THEIR FAMILIES, BE HARD WORKERS, BE DEPENDABLE, BE PERFECT MATES AND THE IDEAL MOTHER OR FATHER.
SOMEONE ONCE SAID, "CHILDREN ARE BEAUTIFUL WHEN THEY ARE YOUNG AND THEN THEY GROW UP."
CLARENCE DARROW ONCE SAID, "THE FIRST HALF OF OUR LIFE IS RUINED BY OUR PARENTS AND THE SECOND HALF BY OUR CHILDREN."
NO PARENT WHEN THEY FIRST HOLD THEIR CHILDREN IN THEIR ARMS COULD EVER IMAGINE THAT ONE DAY THEY WOULD ONE DAY GROW UP TO BREAK THEIR HEARTS.
THOSE WHO HAVE HAD PRODIGAL CHILDREN PROBABLY THOUGHT, "MY CHILD WILL NEVER DO THAT. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS TO SOMEONE ELSE."
BUT THEN IT HAPPENS TO US. MAYBE IT BEGINS SLOWLY WITH A SERIES OF EVENTS OR MAYBE IN ONE BIG JOLT.
MAYBE YOUR CHILD RUNS AWAY, OR THEY GET ARRESTED FOR USING DRUGS, OR THEY BECOME PREGNANT AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHO THE FATHER IS, OR THEY BECOME ALCOHOLICS, THEY COMMIT ADULTERY AND LEAVE THEIR SPOUSE, OR THEY ABANDON THEIR CHILDREN AND LEAVE YOU TO RAISE THEM, OR THEY COME OUT OF THE CLOSET AND TELL YOU THAT THEY ARE GAY, OR THEY TELL YOU THAT THEY DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU, YOUR LIFE, OR YOUR VALUES.
TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE ISSUE OF PRODIGAL CHILDREN.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER HAD A PRODIGAL CHILD?
AS WE THINK ON THIS TOPIC I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER SEVERAL REASON WHY CHILDREN BECOME PRODIGAL AND ALSO THREE STEPS TO TAKE IF THEY DO.