ARE YOU KILLING YOUR FAMILY?

In April 1989, Ramon Salcido, now 43, piled his three daughters in a car and drove them to a landfill. He stood behind the oldest girl, Sofia, 4, and held her head with his left hand. Then he slit her throat with a fishing knife and tossed her down a hill. He also slit the throat of his daughter, Teresa, 22 months. Both were nearly decapitated. He slashed the throat of his 3-year-old daughter, Carmina, who survived to tell authorities, "Daddy cut me," according to trial testimony and media reports.

Stories like this one have been repeated through the years. How could anyone be so hardened and wicked? Yet there are other versions acted out every day.

* A too-busy father never makes it to his children’s ballgames, plays, or school events.

* An unfaithful dad destroys his marriage, teaches his daughter to distrust men and his son that marriage and family are unimportant.

* A career-driven father forgets that he has a wife and is married to his desk.

* An always-too-tired dad doesn’t have the energy to spend teaching his children the important things in life.

* A dad who works six days a week wants Sunday as his only day to sleep in or to go fishing, doesn’t show his children the importance of putting God first.

Are these men reprimanded, punished or arrested for their neglect? No! They are praised, promoted and get raises.

However, they are killing their families. A wife is starved to death emotionally. Children grow up as strangers to the men who gave them life. Families die spiritually because they have lost their spiritual leader. A counselor becomes the wife’s confidant. A coach or teacher fills the parental role which belongs to the father. Mom and the children attend worship infrequently, if at all. Families die in the process.

As you near the end of your life, what will you consider your greatest achievement? Diplomas and degrees? An impressive resume? High salary? Awards for community service? Or, would we rather look back and see a loving, secure family? Many senior citizens complain because their children and grandchildren are not close to them, don’t really care. If we do not want that to be the case with us, we better start now.

* Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

* Ephesians 6:4 – “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

--Lamar