1331. Home, a Refuge

Home, a Refuge

"In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge" (Pro_14:26).

Home is a place of refuge from far more than the rain and the wind.

When Moses was born, Jochebed saw that he was a goodly child. Pharaoh was seeking to slay all the male children born to the children of Israel. Jochebed sheltered Moses, and when she saw that she could no longer hide him; she looked to God in faith and prepared an ark of bulrushes, daubing it with slime and pitch. She put the child therein and laid the ark in the flags by the river brink.

Thus the home should always prove a place of refuge and of shelter, for the children who dwell therein.

1. A shelter from evil associates. The Word of God teaches us to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. We are not to enter into the paths of the wicked. We are not to go in the way of sinful men.

A farmer, in shooting at a bunch of crows who were devastating his fields, found among the wounded birds the children's pet parrot. As he picked Polly up, and bound his leg, he said, "Poor Polly, bad company, bad company." When the children saw their bird they cried with great excitement; but Polly in melancholy, replied, "Bad company, bad company."

Home is a refuge from evil associations.

2. A shelter from evil pastime. Home is not a place in which children should be taught to play cards and to dance; from which they should be encouraged to attend the movies and the theaters.

A beautiful girl was dressing for a ball. Her little sister, who was watching her, greatly admiring the shining star stuff, she had sprinkled in her hair. Suddenly the child said: "Sister, I was wondering if you will have any stars in your crown?" The girl went on to the ball but she could not shake off her sister's query. Finally she rushed home, hurried into the room where her little sister lay asleep, and kneeling by the bed she yielded herself to God. Kissing the little sister she said, "By the grace of God, I will live so there will be stars in my crown."

3. A shelter from evil books, pictures, etc. Home is not a place where children should be left to read the books which are sure to produce evil thoughts and to contaminate true character. Children may read stories and they may profit by them; but there are plenty of books which are altogether distinct from silly love tales and Wild West heroines. The home should place the very best of reading into the hands of the children.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR