THE world is careening down the highway of anarchy. High-minded youthful hoodlums in all countries are intent on developing their talents in the direction of the three R's of ruling, ruining, and rioting. Society in general acts like that group of people who were attending a parent-teacher association meeting in one of our Western cities. During the meeting a band of youngsters broke into the school and began to dismantle the place in the presence of these parents and teachers. The only action on the part of the adults was to stand by, wring their hands in horror, and do nothing!
Most authorities agree that much of our present problem of rebellion starts in the home. It is of special interest to note that poverty is not to blame for all of it. Many middle-class homes, where little or no parental authority is exercised, are like factories producing cynical troublemakers bent on twisting the world to their own aimless pattern.
Adventist homes are not exempt from poor parental example, which leads to a lack of respect among the children. Recently a well-known youth leader among us was conducting a Week of Prayer in one of our churches. In writing to a friend of his, he stated, "Our Week of Prayer for this area was marked by an intense interest and response by the young people. In many in stances the young people were in the church each night, seeking the Lord, while their parents were at home watching television. I would say 50 to 60 percent of the problems of these young people stemmed from their own homes. How greatly we need a revival of true godliness in our Adventist homes!"
Restraining, Not Permissive, Love
As I look back on my own home school I see a vast difference between the way my father handled me and the way many fathers handle their children today. To be gin with, my life was encircled with a marvelous exhibition of love and unity be tween mother and dad. No other image was projected than that of complete happiness and love. A child doesn't sense the importance of such an environment. This kind of influence gradually seeps into the soul of a youth and becomes a part of his flesh and blood. Twelve years of this type of exposure was allowed me. Then our home was shattered, not by divorce, but by the death of mother.
But even after this I was subjected to a double portion of my father's love. The power of that love has kept me more than once on the straight and narrow path.
There was something of equal importance to this atmosphere of love that has contributed to my happiness thus far in life. It was a restraining love, certainly not a permissive love. Mother and father were always my superiors, not my equals, and I knew it. The walls of authority ever surrounded me. The pestilential philosophy of letting children make all or most of their own decisions was unknown to both my parents and me. This doesn't mean we didn't discuss things. There was plenty of communication between us, but when all was said and done the final authority on those matters worth discussing rested with King Father, not with loyal but sometimes rebellious subject---son.
When it came to school authority there was no doubt as to where mother and dad stood. They positioned themselves squarely behind the teacher and the institution. Punishment at school inevitably spelled punishment at home. Any complaint against the school was summarily dismissed by my father with the use of a few pertinent questions. They usually ran as follows:
1. Did you suffer physically?
2. Did the situation directly involve you or someone else?
3. Were you at the right place at the right time doing what you knew you should have been doing?
4. Were the demands of the teachers unreasonable?
I can't remember a single instance in my life when these questions failed to produce the desired results.
Miniature Dictators
As I look at rebellions on campuses to day, it is most difficult to believe that the majority of these so-called victims of the "establishment" are nothing more than a group of spoiled, miniature dictators who are seeking absolute power for themselves, and woe be to the organization that ends up in their control!
Thus, today's maniacal rebellers delight in disruption. In their inmost souls they have never known anything but disruptive conflict. They now seek to impose their agitating embranglements on society.
Spirit of Abraham Lincoln
The most vivid memory of father's subduing influence came during my first year at college. In my opinion, the faculty seemed to deal rather severely with my roommate. Their actions aroused the spirit of Abraham Lincoln in my soul. I felt it my duty to liberate this poor slave from the oppression of a vicious faculty.
My first move was to communicate with my father, giving him details of my attitude toward the "establishment."
A few days later a familiar air-mail envelope was delivered to my dormitory room. In it, I thought, would be dad's response of commendation. How proud he would be of a son who championed the cause of an underdog. After all, Abraham Lincolns come about once a century, and we were about due one for the twentieth century!
The first thing that shocked me when I opened the letter was the red typewritten copy! It didn't take long to find out that any similarity between the color of the type and the flavor of the message written was not coincidental! Never before or since has dad created a stronger masterpiece of combined logic and command.
"Why Go to School?"
Among other points, he eloquently stated, "The main object of your attendance at that college is to get a Christian education, not to involve yourself in disputes with the administration. If you know so much about how a school ought to be run and how to solve life's problems, why go to school? Why should I invest my hard-earned money in educating a son who knows all the answers already?"
Then he continued, "Remember that long before you enrolled in school, many of those teachers were there and dealing with similar problems. Furthermore, long after you depart from that institution many of those same teachers will still be there facing similar problems repeatedly.
"If you were placed in their position it wouldn't be long before someone would take the same attitude toward you that you are presently assuming toward the administration. I ask you what would you do and how would you feel in that case?"
Then came the clincher, "Now, son, you know that I love you dearly. I have your best interests at heart. I ask you in all sincerity to search your soul to its very depths. In this situation with your room mate, were you crusading for him or simply against the authority of the school? Are you finding a certain distinct pleasure in setting yourself up as a liberator of the oppressed, or do you have a deep heartfelt concern for the future of your roommate?
"There's a vast difference in making a grandstand play in an attempt to exhibit your own goodness and greatness, and that of truly seeking to find a solution that will aid your fellow man in his dilemma. To condemn,, criticize, and tear down the faculty is not the work of God, but of Satan.
"I do not say the faculty is always right, but authority must be maintained or anarchy will reign. I would rather suffer under the rule of faulty authority as long as principle is not violated than under the heel of chaos and discord.
"I urge you to be a peacemaker, not a rabble rouser. God knows that life at best is tortured with problems. Why increase the agony by rebelling? What does the death of God the Son on a cruel cross mean to you? The worst injustice in history was committed that day. What was the response of Him who gave all for us? Must we extend that injustice by our wrong acts today, or shall we take up our cross and follow Him?"
That letter helped me to form a definite attitude in my life. It has solved more than one problem that otherwise might have been insurmountable. It has caused me to carefully examine my motives. The question that counts is, Am I a defender of my God, my church, and my fellow man, or am I merely a power-grabbing exhibitionist?
Wouldn't it be great if our youth today could get back to reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic and forget ruling, ruining, and rioting?
