“Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:12 NIV).
Eli was the High Priest of Israel. He was also a judge in the days before they had a king. Born into the line of Aaron, by all accounts he was a good priest and judge. Yet, as a father, he was a complete failure. His two sons were raised up to serve in the Tabernacle. They were PKs – “Preacher’s Kids,” but they had “no regard for the Lord.”
How can a parent have such strong faith and be good at their work, yet still be terrible at raising kids?
I’m sure parents ask themselves this same question today. They ask, “Didn’t I keep a roof over your heads and food in your stomachs? Did you ever lack for clothes or shoes? Didn’t I make sure you got a good education? And didn’t I take you to church every Sunday?”
The truth is that a parent can do everything right and their children can still go wrong. Even God the Father has seen His share of rebellious kids.
But there are certain warning signs that our parenting is falling short. These are the signs of a family in crisis that Eli overlooked:
- Worldy preoccupation
- Passive avoidance
- Personal resignation
Success at work does not equal success at home. Come to WCC this Sunday as we launch our new sermon series entitled: “Family Feud” and learn how to respond to these warning signs.