It's become a trend of late for some of our television networks to run public service announcements,

emphasizing children.

One of them actually conclude with words like put children first or children must come first.

And everybody says, well, isn't that great?

I'm not really sure.

You say, wait a minute.

How come any emphasis in children could not be just good?

Because their emphasis and the philosophy that's underpinning their emphasis is wrong.

That's why.

It is wrong because they say that children

and how they feel about themselves is more important than anything else. So you have kids who

can't read or write, but as long as they feel good about themselves. How can they feel good

about themselves? They can add or they can't subtract, but that doesn't matter as long as they feel good about themselves. How can they feel good about themselves? They can't add or they

can't subtract, but that doesn't matter as long as they have a positive self-image. How can they have

a positive self-image when they are lousy academically? See, the underpinning philosophy is lousy. It is

wrong. And sadly, I want to tell you, there are so many well-meaning churches

that have fallen into that trap, that have followed that trend. It's sad. Because when the

emphasis is on pride and not God's glory, we're in trouble. When the emphasis is on our own independence, not our

dependence on God, we're in deep trouble. When the emphasis is on believing in the children,

rather than believing God on behalf of the children, we are really in trouble. I want to tell you something.

I looked in the scripture from cover to cover just for this exercise for this week.

I have not seen anywhere in the scripture the Bible said make kids feel good about themselves.

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