Jesus said that sometimes our enemies are members of our own household. In some parts of the world that’s very obvious. Parents literally disown their children when they become Christians. That’s hard to imagine, but it is true and it just goes to show what a firm grip religion can get on a person. However, although that is painful, there is something that can be worse. These are not the most dangerous enemies. The worst enemies are not those who simply oppose you, but those who deceive you, causing you to believe a lie, or discourage you from doing what you should.
While Christians have always been persecuted by the world in general, for many people their greatest threat and worst enemy is a member of their own family. Making matters worse, they don’t even know it. If you told them they wouldn’t believe you. Some would be greatly angered by your charge. They don’t want to believe that someone they love so dearly would ever lead them astray. That’s natural, but the fact is they will, and the facts need to be faced. Some of Satan’s most effective tools are relatives who misguide others.
Believe it or not, some of the worst offenders are parents. Not just those who withhold the truth from their children by never taking them to church, but also those who feed them misinformation. Although, perhaps, well-meaning they convince their children to believe a lie. In many instances they are highly critical of churches and preachers–leaving the impression that only their advice can be trusted.
Now I certainly believe that children, of any age, should respect their parents, but that doesn’t mean that you should believe everything they say. The Bible tell us to love our enemies, but that doesn’t mean that we should allow them to lure us into evil. Nor does it mean that we must sever all ties with them. We simply must not let them lead us down the wrong path. At this very moment there are those who are out of church (I could name names!) simply because a parent wouldn’t keep their mouth shut. They would not give up until they finally imposed their opinions on them. Little by little they spread their poison until their child was finally infected by it. They kept at it until they dragged them down to their level.
Isn’t it amazing that, to prove a point or to win an argument some people are willing to destroy the lives of others, even their own children. Some make an issue out of something petty and then act as though they alone are the final authority on the matter. I pity people like that, but not nearly as much as I pity the poor children who are exposed to and influenced by such a poor example.
Every person needs to learn to think for themselves and, most of all, become a student of God’s word. Never believe anything just because someone, anyone, else tells you it is so and never doubt anything the Bible says–it is our only sure source of information. Those who follow the truth will always be on the right track. So where are you? How did you get there? THINK ABOUT IT!
