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A Message To Parents

Dr. Black was a highly respected doctor in his community. He was also a devoted
husband and father, especially close to his young son Bobby. The boy was never far from
his father’s side when the doctor was at home. Sometimes he even went along on rounds
when the doctor visited patients— much to their delight.

But there was one place father and son never went together. Each Sunday morning Bobby
went with his mother and sister to church, but the doctor never went with them.

Bobby enjoyed Sunday school, and he liked his teacher. One Sunday’s lesson, entitled “Our Heavenly Home,” interested the children greatly, and they asked many questions.

“Bobby, when you get to heaven, what will be the first thing you see?” the teacher asked.

Bobby hesitated for a moment, then calmly
replied, “I’m not going to heaven.”

The teacher was astonished.
“Bobby, surely you want to go to heaven. Everyone wants to.”

“I don’t,” Bobby responded matter-of-factly. “My mother and sister are going to heaven, but I’m going with my father—we go everywhere together!” His answer deeply hurt the teacher.

A few days later, during an appointment with Dr. Black, the teacher told him what his son had said. The doctor tried to laugh it off, but was plainly shaken.
“That’s just like Bobby—always wanting to go wherever I go.”

“And where are you going, Doctor?” The teacher’s question hit its mark. The physician
could not escape his son’s comment about heaven. It haunted him until Saturday night
when he fell to his knees in repentance toward God. As he prayed, he received Christ as his Savior and became a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The next morning, he shared his new-found faith with his family, and joined them in Sunday school. Now he was a safe companion for Bobby to go with—even to heaven.

Parents, how about you? If your children follow in your footsteps, where will you
both end up? Whether you like it or not, you are leading your children either toward heaven or hell, because you are headed for one or the other. Whether you know it or not, you are the greatest influence in their lives.

To lead your children to heaven, the Bible says you must first confess your sins to God and receive Jesus Christ as your Savior (1 John 4:14-15). Then God can say that He knows you and knows you will direct your children in the way of the Lord (Genesis 18:19).

If you reject or ignore God’s free salvation, the results are fatal:
“The … unbelieving … shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

Wouldn’t it be sad if God had to say of your child,
“He did … evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother” (1Kings 22:52).

The choice is yours: Where is your path leading you? Where are you leading your children?

Turn to Christ now for your eternal good and that of your family as well!