Heading off regrets

Raquel Welch who has been in the movie business since 1964 is now talking about morality in an article on CNN called, "It's sex o'clock in America." The article is good because it points out the problems that exist with sexual freedom that has become the norm. She laments the lack of commitment in marriage while lamenting the fact that she has had 4 marriages. I respect the fact that she had the courage to take this stand. But the real question is what expectations can we have for children when the example that they have had is sexual freedom and no commitment? Why are we surprised when they take it one step farther.
This blog is not about social commentary. It is about the reality of how far we have come from living lives that are focused on our Lord Jesus. Raquel is living in the secular community what many believers live in the Christian community. We live before our children a lack of commitment to God. We demonstrate for them an extreme commitment to sports, racing, hunting or any number of other occupations that eclipse our commitment to Jesus Christ. These things are little idols in our lives and our children see it. When our children grow up and leave home is it any wonder that they take the separation from church and God one step farther than we did? Proverbs 22:6 calls on us as parents to train up a child in the way they should go. What is the way that they should go that we are teaching them. Deuteronomy 6:7 gives us some clues. We are to do it diligently. We teach them when we sit down. We teach when we walk and when we lie down and rise up. This sounds like we are teaching all the time. Exactly! I don't know who said it but I think it is true. The most important lessons in life are often caught and not taught. We are teaching our children by what we do. Are they catching God from us? Deuteronomy 6:5-6 clarifies what we are teaching. It tells us in these verses that we are to love the Lord our God. Ultimately the way we want our children to go is to God. Are we training our children to pursue Him by our lives? Or are we going to be like Raquel spiritually looking back and lamenting our actions wanting better things for our kids? We can head off these regrets by living and teaching them to live God focused lives?