“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

What is happening to our children? As I see it, this current generation of children appears to be a lost generation. They have lost their way.

Today, so many children are openly defiant of their parents and receive little or no discipline for their actions. They have been given no direction for their lives and are angry and frustrated. Tragically, many young people today are even committing suicide. They have lost all hope. Many children do not want to be told what to do and act out their frustrations in violent activities. They are heading down the road to destruction and death! “Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father. And attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live”(Proverbs 4:1-4).

Shockingly, children are becoming murderers in growing numbers. In a recent case in Pensacola, Florida two teenage brothers pleaded guilty to killing their father with a baseball bat. In Langley, British Columbia, a teen pleaded guilty to killing his sister just to feel what it would be like. In Maple Ridge, British Columbia, a 15 year old youth has been charged with first degree murder in the death of a 39 year old mother of three. These are headlines that would have been unheard of 40 years ago! What has happened?

In today’s world children are being bombarded with outrageous forms of pop culture that aims to shock and titillate them for commercial reasons, rather than to make a social or political statement. In a recent letter to the editor in the Vancouver Province newspaper, referring to criticism of rapper Eminem’s movie, “8 Mile,” the writer stated, “First of all, you need to understand it’s a movie. Yes, with sex, violence and foul language. But where in the movie does it have something that kids/teens have not seen or heard before.” Is that not a sad commentary on what our children are seeing and hearing today and how is it affecting them? Where are they learning their morals and the value of human life? The Ten Commandments have been taken out of the schools. A large number of children today do not attend church and do not know of Jesus Christ. They have little direction and are floundering. Abortions and disposable babies are at an epidemic state. Sex is treated like a form of entertainment and a large number of children of all ages are having some form of sex. Teenagers are using drugs, everything from viagra to ecstacy.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s, although sex and drugs were common, they were the Hippy Days of “love” and “flower power”. Today drugs and sex appear to be more violent in nature. “I’m going to get you or use you”. Drugs such as PCP cause rage and hallucinations. When the child is hallucinating that child is violent, spewing violent and obscene words. They must also be restrained. If used often enough these drugs can cause brain damage.

Parents who are too busy for their children will see the consequences of their neglect. They should observe the words of Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

This is the only hope for a lost generation.