Mary was in love. He was sweet, fun to be around and so cute! One Saturday afternoon, while both parents were away they relaxed in Mary’s bedroom watching TV. Soon, the television was forgotten as they found themselves locked in a passionate embrace. It seemed only natural to express their love in a physical way.

    The parents returned home discovering them both in bed. After the boyfriend left, the heated argument began. “What’s the big deal?” asked Mary. “I really love him! Everyone else is doing it!” The parents honestly didn’t know how to argue with her except to say that it was wrong.

    What would you say? How do we help our youth grow up with morals and values?

    John and a friend discovered it on Dad’s computer through his Internet connection: pornography. The perversions that once were available only in seedy bookstores could now be accessed for free over the World Wide Web. Every day after school, the two boys would rush home and check out hundreds of web sites displaying graphic pictures of everything imaginable pertaining to the act of sex. One click of the printer and full color pictures were instantly available to share with friends.

How do we help our youth grow up with morals and values?

    John’s dad turned on the computer one night to check information he had downloaded from the Internet earlier in the week. He noticed a lot of new file names in the directory. Several of them had the word sex within the name. Curious he opened one of the files and gasped at the picture that suddenly appeared on screen.

    If you were Dad, what would you say to John? How do we help our youth grow up with morals and values?

    If you believe this is a problem only for our generation... think again. Jude gives this warning:

“Dearly loved friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the truth of the Good News. God gave this unchanging truth once for all time to his holy people. I say this because some godless people have wormed their way in among you, saying that God’s forgiveness allows us to live immoral lives. The fate of such people was determined long ago, for they have turned against our only master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 3-4, New Living)

    A couple was looking to buy an old fix-me-up house at a great price. But a repair estimate showed that no matter what was fixed on the surface the house would soon collapse because of cracks in the foundation. The foundation of society is our faith in God. If we do not consistently and lovingly pass on that faith to others, including our children... society is in danger of collapse.

    How do we help our youth grow up with morals and values? Jude continues with answers:

V. 20: Build on the foundation of your holy faith... It always starts with us. We must strive to set the best possible example relying on God’s grace for our shortcomings.

V. 20: Pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit... A disciplined life of prayer acts as a reminder of Who is really in control.

V. 21: Live in such a way that God’s love can bless you... Another reminder to practice what we preach. There is nothing worse than a pious phony.

V. 22: Show mercy to those whose faith is wavering... Take a stand on the issues, but offer the hand of love and forgiveness to those who struggle.

V. 23: Rescue others from the flames of judgment... When someone is in trouble, look for ways to help... not judge.

V. 23: Be careful that you aren’t contaminated... Prevent this by returning to step v. 20 and keep building on the right foundation. Finally the glorious promise as you live a life of faith...

V. 24: God will keep you from stumbling, and will bring you into his glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy.

    There are no easy answers to teaching our youth moral values, only good examples. Those examples must come from our own honest struggle to keep the faith while actively resisting the temptations of an often immoral world. Maybe that is what it really means to be the church of God!