XTC: "No Thugs in Our House"

This New Wave band from England weren't very famous out of their own country but they did have a few North American hits. Some of them were quite thought provoking. Hear one of that kind here.

Unlike those parents in the song who figured their boy could do no wrong, God expects parents to be critically involved with their children. As Proverbs 22:6 (Bible in Basic English) reminds us, "If a child is trained up in the right way, even when he is old he will not be turned away from it."

Teaching youngsters the ways of God must be a constant effort. As Deuteronomy 6:6 and 7 (BBE) also reminds us, "Keep these words, which I say to you this day, deep in your hearts; Teaching them to your children with all care, talking of them when you are at rest in your house or walking by the way, when you go to sleep and when you get up."

And unlike the prevailing attitude of people today, Psalm 127:3 and 4 (BBE) says, "See, sons are a heritage from the Lord; the fruit of the body is his reward. Like arrows in the hand of a man of war, are the children of the young."

And to keep them from going astray, parents need to discipline children. As Proverbs 20:15 (BBE) says, "Foolish ways are deep-seated in the heart of a child, but the rod of punishment will send them far from him."

To modern people, this sounds cruel. Even so, Proverbs 29:15 (BBE) tells us why children need correction. "The rod and sharp words give wisdom: but a child who is not guided is a cause of shame to his mother."

Likewise, spiritual children also need the example of godly parents, as 1 Timothy 3:14 and 15 (BBE) demonstrates. "But see that you keep to the teaching you have been given and the things of which you are certain, conscious of who has been your teacher; And that from the time when you were a child, you have had knowledge of the holy Writings, which are able to make you wise to salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus."

If Christ hasn't come for us by New Year's Eve, I hope to have a post published about the future and who is in charge of it.