Being a typical modern family and geographically separated from real kinfolk, church members helped our children develop goodness, patience, peace and kindness. Genetics may not have connected us, but we're family nonetheless. Words of wisdom often take root and grow stronger when delivered by someone other than the parents, so I was grateful when the children's and youth leaders with far more experience than I, stepped in to guide my boys in positive ways when my own efforts flopped.
The activities of a church youth group put the command "feed my sheep" into action, which has been a joy to watch. My boys had the opportunity to participate in meaningful projects and learned firsthand what Jesus meant when he said to feed the hungry, care for the sick and visit those in prison.
They've also learned to tune out the rhetoric of hate and instead, offer love and kindness to those who are different, then further developed this compassion by lending a hand to those who live in poverty, when other teens only saw it on TV.
The feeling of being connected to something greater -- not only to the local church, but to all believers, reinforces a child's feeling of belonging and having a purpose. On Sunday mornings, it's amazing to know there are others around the world in majestic cathedrals, dusty country chapels and forbidden home gatherings, saying and believing the exact same words we say. When the world is going crazy with wars and senseless violence, knowing something greater is in control, comforts and inspires us to be and do better.
But it's more than social justice and earthly kindness. Taking my children to church has built their relationship with God and other believers who are part of the big fire that reignites our embers when we start to fade.
I'm just now beginning to see the first fruit from all the laborious years of hauling my sons to the church for one activity or the other. With a few bumps along the way, they're on the right path to becoming awesome, Godly men -- so I guess that's why I took them to church all these years. That, and not wanting the devil to get them on Interstate 65.