On properly raising a generation

One major moral failing that I think many, if not most, of us have is neglect. We neglect necessary maintenance on machines and vehicles unless or until it becomes too big an issue to ignore (and perhaps not even then). We neglect our pets (how ever much we may not mean to), perhaps failing to feed them a healthy diet or to take them to the vet regularly. We neglect our own health, often gaining weight without making sufficient effort to counterbalance the incoming food with exercise (one semester of eating buffet at college can really add calories, and yes I know that personally).

Worst of all, we neglect other human beings. Our friends, our family, our children. We wave off oddities as just some quirk that'll go away if we ignore it. We play favorites among our families as well as our friends, not to mention coworkers and employees. We try to ignore societal problems, perhaps thinking of them as things we can't change. We fail to warn others when they are heading down dangerous paths, either lacking the care necessary or not wanting to tell someone a hard message (and likely get into a fight with them as a result). I don't claim to be perfect in any of this or more; all of us have been less than perfect since Adam and Eve.

That's not to say that nothing can be done. None of us can do everything... but all of us can do something. Talk to the lonely person in the workplace. Ask our kids if something is wrong (and investigate if we suspect they were bullied and aren't telling us). We teach our children proper values, to be faithful to God, to value life, to be humble, to be grateful instead of entitled, to forgive instead of hating, to be graceful, and to have justice and mercy in good measure. We can get involved in personally helping others out of poverty and addictions, and give assistance to the elderly.

I do not think we shall do this perfectly. I do think we can do it well enough to have a good impact, on ourselves and our posterity. Perhaps the next generation may live more moral lives if we do our part. Maybe that is overly hopeful; maybe not. One would desire that these things may be the result of our efforts.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. May Christ Jesus save you, then guide, protect, and watch over you.