Friday, February 19, 2010

Why So Violent?


As I began writing today's devotion, a fight broke out just up the hall from my classroom. Within seconds, there were at least 50 students either fighting or scrambling to watch. It took the Resource Officer, a couple Administrators, and several teachers to get this one broke up. Now please don't think I teach at a violent school just because there was a fight. Fights at high schools are about as common as students who "forget" their homework. This particular fight started with several boys jumping on just one guy. Then a girl who saw it, and recognized that the boy was her cousin, jumped in to help him. And then, like a chain-reaction car crash on a snowy highway, it became completely out of control. Nobody was seriously hurt, and the entire incident is now under control. Why are our young people so violent?


I think there are as many answers to that question as there are stars in the heavens. This is my 16th year of teaching, and I can definitely tell an increase in the number of angry kids. I am not sure if there are anymore fights than there were when I first started teaching, or even when I was a student, but no doubt, there is an increase in the number of high-strung teenagers. Can we really blame them? Look at what comes on our TV's, our radios, and our movies. It has become more aggressive and violent. But that in itself is not the real problem. Let's face it: The real problem in most cases is the parents. They say kids are the mirror-image of their parents. I realize that this generalization is not true in all cases, but more times than not, these kids learn their behaviour from their parents and from the people their parents allow them to hang around with. We parents need to do a better job of raising our kids. I know they don't come with instructions, but God's Holy Word does. Google how many verses in the Bible pertain to how parent's are supposed to raise their children. I truly believe there is not a more effective way of raising our children than doing it God's way. Sure, we as parents will make mistakes. But as long as we keep God at the center, we will sure make a lot less.


Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is older he will not depart from it."


Father, please help us do a better job of raising our children. There is not a single one of us that has done it exactly right. Show us the way, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

5 comments:

  1. Yes, this is true. Parents are rarely around for their kids these days so their kids go and do whatever they want to. I pray the same for youth today. God bless you!

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  2. Oh so true, some of it does come from the raising. Kids are spoiled and there has not been much dicipline in homes. I still to this day , and my son is 23 , grab my son by his ear when I think hes disrespectful, and he hates it lol. But he will tell u that he loves the very ground that I stand on.I was strict yet loving with him and raised him by myself and people approach me all the time saying how thoughtful and respectful he is. It all starts at home , I agree 100% with you on this Allen . And its not a teachers responsibility to raise a child in school and make them pass either... teachers have the tools and its up to the child to learn to use the tools. Great devotion.

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  3. How true the verse of Proverbs. I was not necessarily a harsh disciplinarian, but my kids knew when enough was enough, and I am proud to say that they are all to this day respectful and polite. When I was growing up, it was perfectly fine to get a spanking (at school AND at home) when you needed one ... and I am inclined to believe that our generation turned out just a bit better for it. I don't believe that it is the job of the school system (teachers) to raise the children, I believe it is the job of the parents to raise the children. Teachers are there to pass on knowledge ... not GIVE it away. I believe it is the responsibility of the student to learn .. and the responsibility of the parent to reinforce that learning. When you see the disrespect and downright rude behavior in so many young people today, I can't help but wonder just what their home life is like. My mama and daddy didn't tolerate that type of behavior, and I didn't tolerate it in my children. Good point, great devotion :)

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  4. Hi Allen .... I have just caught up on reading the devotions for this week.
    I have been swamped here at work. I have really enjoyed them and I
    truly feel the same way about today's devotion. I try to monitor what my
    boys watch on TV and the games they play on Wii or on the computer.
    But, I can't always be with them. I wish that their dad would do the same
    thing when they are with him. But the world in general is more violent
    even since we were in school and I'll bet it's only going to get worse.
    I just try to do my best and teach them the "right" (Godly) way that I can.
    The verse that you included in the devotion today was my grandmother's
    favorite. She always took her children to church when they were little.
    She was a Godly woman. But, some of her sons strayed like some do.
    My dad's only living brother had not been in church for a number of years.
    However, about a month ago, they called my dad and asked what time
    our services began ... and they came and have been coming ever since
    (and they drive over from Bainbridge). I am sure my grandmother is doing
    cartwheels in Heaven!! She always believed that if you gave a child a
    "firm" foundation (Jesus) that they would eventually return to Him.

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  5. I work at a school too. Last week I saw one kindergarten student kick another in the head!! I could not believe what I had seen! It is often said that generations get real bad, we have one right now.

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