The rescue of Lot and his family in Genesis
chapter 19 is very instructive. Lot chose to live in Sodom, an evil city but also
very prosperous. He had mixed feelings about living in this place with the evil
around him, but he and his family enjoyed the comforts of Sodom too much to
leave it. God chose to destroy the city of Sodom for its wickedness. Abraham
interceded for the city and received an answer from God that the city would not
be destroyed if five righteous people were found there. The five righteous were
not found. God sent two angels to that city to lead Lot and his family out.
When they arrived at Lot’s house in the evening hours, all hell broke loose.
Moses explains: “…all the men from every part of the city of Sodom — both young
and old — surrounded the house.”
They called out, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them
out to us so that we can have sex with them” (Gen 19:4-5).
Clearly, we can understand why judgment was on
its way for this city. This was a city where sexual violence had become routine.
However, we are shocked by Lot’s response as he went outside and tried to talk
to the mob: “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. Look, I have two
daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and
you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for
they have come under the protection of my roof” (Gen 19:6-8).
Lot is extremely conflicted; while trying to
protect the special guests, he places the safety of his family at risk. Perhaps
he rationalized that nothing would be done to his daughters because they knew
them and they were engaged to be married. Whatever he thought, it is appalling.
You might be thinking, “How could this man do
this to his daughters?” Do not be so quick to judge! Today, parents are
throwing their sons and daughters to the wolves by the abdication of their
parental authority. Teenagers who are barely old enough to know the basics of
life skills are becoming sexually active. They are doing so with the knowledge
and, in some cases, the permission of their parents. The teenagers’ emotional
intelligence is not capable of having a prolonged intimacy with another teenager,
so it usually ends abruptly. The sense of rejection drives these adolescents to
look for another and another. By the time they graduate, they have accumulated
enough emotional baggage to wreck any future marriage. So, yes, many parents
are doing just this, “Take my daughter or take my son and do what you want with
them.”
Parents are throwing their kids to culture by
allowing them to listen to violent music, especially rap. The lyrics of
some rap music are so disgusting that it is repulsive, and yet teenagers are
growing up on this vulgar and profane music. Its words glorify killing, sexual
violence, and disrespect for life.
Parents are throwing them to culture by
allowing them to watch any perverse thing they desire, whether that is video
games, movies, or YouTube. The world has placed a cesspool of profane language,
violent content, and sexually perverse material at your child’s fingertips. If
you do not intervene, it will take over your child’s mind and damage their
future life.
Parents are throwing their kids to the mob by
allowing them to get involved in addicting social media. Programs such as Snapchat,
Instagram, and others enable them to get involved emotionally with others at a
very young age. They become consumed with their body and their appearance. This
becomes a gateway to becoming sexually active at a young age. As parents who
love their children, we have to be vigilant for their emotional, physical, and
spiritual wellbeing. There are many predators preying on our children, and we
need God’s help to keep them safe.
