Respect For The House

Last Sunday we happened to sit in front of a row of teenage boys. Through the entire service they messed around, talked, laughed, jostled and were disruptive. After the service the guy at the end of our row turned around and said Maybe you boys should attend children's church so you can learn how to behave in church. My parents would have yanked my butt out of that pew and outside before I knew what hit me- that was never allowed in my family,  and no I did not go to children's church to learn how to behave.

Yesterday as I was sitting in church this Sunday I happened to look down at the hymnals- someone had written all over the ends of the pages. Where did they learn that that was OK? Is it OK to draw on walls? Is it ok to talk in school? We have a family friend who literally will escort misbehaving children to the front of the church, to sit with her. Lets just say they behaved from then on. This is why my parents didn't let me sit with the other kids- we sat with them so they could teach us how to behave and then yank our sorry behinds out of their if we acted up.

"Keep my Sabbath days of rest, and show reverence toward my sanctuary. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:30

How did we get the point that we take church so lightly that we will do things that we know would land us in trouble anywhere else? I understand younger children getting figgity but for the most part they shouldn't get away with half of the stuff they do in church- and as for my piers, you generations of teens you should know better. You are supposed to be an example to the younger kids, while you sit there on your phone, or messing around with your friends what are you teaching them? You may not realize it but they are watching you. You are teaching them that they don't need to pay attention to the sermon and you are also distracting everyone else around you from listening.

My mom has a great analogy... if you were to die right there, or if Jesus was to come back would He be disappointed in what you are doing?

I was taught that you enter the House of God with reverence, it is not a playground, you are not there to check your phone, your social media or that text.

You can talk to your friends after the service.