Parents of the Year - The Reids

Yes there is much sarcasm in that title. Is it just me or are you tired of everyone “apologizing” for Andy Reid’s kids.

In case you are unaware, let me explain. Andy Reid is the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Over the past year it has come out that his two boys are caught up in illegal drugs. This past Wednesday they were convicted of their criminal activity and sent to prison. The judge chastised the Reids for allowing their home to be a “drug emporium”.

I have heard Andy Reid's good name supported left and right all over the media. He was even vehemently defended as a family man from a strong Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints background. His wife has also been defended as being very active in charitable activities.

I have to question one thing: When did they have time to be parents? Apparently, not very often.

Time is one of the greatest weapons of the enemy – Satan. It is one of the biggest traps in ministry and has apparently been a trap to the Reids. It is very easy to justify time spent in some sort of ministry; after all you are doing something good aren’t you? God’s will is being done!

Yes that is true, but at what cost. How often have you walked into a church and seen that the worst of the kids happen to be the minister’s children. How often do you see the “rich kids” down the street in the biggest of troubles? You would think that with all of the opportunities these children are afforded that they would be the best behaved, so why all the rowdiness? It is because the parents have been distracted by “work” and are not spending time with their children.

Proverbs 22: 5,6 says, “5Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them. 6Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” The second half of this passage is often quoted and misquoted in regards to raising children. There are two major ways it is interpreted and both apply here. 1) If you train a child properly, whatever you train them in they will stick to it throughout their adult lives. 2) If you allow a child to raise himself, he will not depart from his own authority, which is folly. I find verse five to be so interesting and incredibly relative to verse six, although hardly ever mentioned. I do not think it coincidence either that it is right before this charge.

As parents we are called to guard our children’s hearts. How do we do this? We spend time with them and “train” them. If we do not then we run the risk of allowing our children to run into “thorns and snares”. Sadly, the Reids have learned this lesson too late. With all of the good “game” they talked, they seemingly did not put it into action, as they were too busy for their children. The boys ended up “training” themselves and ran right square into a “snare”.

The ultimate responsibility falls directly on the father, Andy Reid. Can I fault him for earning a good living and supporting his family? No. However, as the head of his house he could have made sure his wife was not so active so as to not be around and at least keep tabs on the boys. According to the evils of feminism, she is surely considered a hero, but again, at what cost? The boys spending time in prison. I hope it was worth it.

I hope that I have painted an adequate picture of how important it is to spend time with our children and “train” them. Train them in the way that they should go and they will not depart from it. Do not let them train themselves, for they will get caught in the thorns and snares, and may never recover from them.

Serving the Lord is a good thing. Being involved in a ministry is a good thing. However, when the service comes at the cost of your children it is the Devil’s tool. Please examine your lives and see if your children are involved in it. If not, ask yourself if you have allowed Satan to distract you from your family by doing good works. Like I mentioned earlier, one of Satan’s greatest tools in breaking up the family is to think that your time away from the family is justified because you are “doing the Lord’s work.” Please do not succumb to this lie. Serve God with all of your heart, soul, and mind, but do not do it at the cost of your family.