Why do good people breed bad kids? Actually that is a biased statement. Good righteous church people do not intentionally raise ill-mannered, tempermental and troubled kids. I cannot see that it was their intention to sow a brat on this earth. But it appears that many nice people I meet in church raise kids who are rebellious and do not treat their religion seriously. Some of these even belong to the higher ups in the church circle.
Is the human make up wired to rebel instinctively to a more religious environment? Or is the lack of crises the source of this callous attitude? Then would not God send trials and calamities on every straying youth who is thinking of givng up his religion for other distractions? (pool? enhanced learning courses? part time work? cute girls and handsome boys?) But then, there are non-church people whose kids go down this path too. So it is not exclusive a problem at all, but a potentially widespread pandemic.
I believe that its just that the Christian life is not a smooth sure thing. Work out your faith with fear and trembling is so true and devotion is difficult, yet we are commanded to and pleasing God is a sweet thing. We can encourage and pray for and show love and promote inclusion. But we won't cajole, won't be distracted from our goal as a congrgation, won't turn our eyes from what we are supposed to do as a church.
Youth will come and go. Some will stick, some will fall away. But God is there. Its just that whether you can answer to him on the day.
