Tough Decisions

September means the start of many activities and ministries, including our Awana program on Wednesday nights, for boys and girls in grades K-6.  Our biggest competitor for children is not another church but the many youth programs that are now offered for children.  Kids can now sign up for soccer, cheerleading, football, lacrosse, hockey, karate and who knows what else.  And each evening and on weekends their parents drive them to the practices and games each with the hope that there child will one day become a star or even a professional athlete.  The sad fact is that most of them will one day drop out, quit, or sit on the bench.  Few will become stars and almost none of them will become professionals.  This emphasis on sports at a young age also affects parents who do the driving and coaching and we regularly lose leaders who now use their limited time to support their kids in these activities.  And all face tremendous pressure to participate in these activities.  Everybody else does it.  It is the accepted thing in our society, no matter how young the children might be.  My kids can't be different and they won't be accepted by their classmates if they don't participate.  And I am not going to fault any parents for giving in to this pressure.  It is hard not to.  But there is another side that should be considered.  I remember the nights when my father would show up at the little league baseball field at 6:45 to tell me that I had to leave the game or practice to attend church that night.  That was a hard thing for me to do.  But I realize now that my father knew that I would never be a baseball star and certainly not a professional.  But he knew, that given a grounding in the Word of God, I could be a faithful Christian.  And I know that he was right and I am glad for the choice that he made for me when I was too young and immature to make that choice for myself.  So, unfortunately, parents often do have a very tough decision to make - little league or Awana.  And I won't criticize any who choose the little league, because most do. And that is really between them and the Lord - if they seek His guidance in making their decision. I just hope that those parents are faithfully teaching the Word of God at home to their children and helping them to memorize scripture while their minds are so open.  The Lord can still help their children to become faithful Christians, especially if that is modeled faithfully at home.