The Death of the Grown-Up

If you are a
grown-up you may find it surprising to read that you have died! Diana West has
written a timely book about the direction of our culture. The Death of the Grow-up is the title. Her book examines how the 20th
century moved towards the worship of a youth culture, especially teenagers.

As Christians, this observation should not
come as a surprise to us. Biblical principles of child-rearing have long been
put aside. These principles were replaced with a child-centered approach
advocated by the mainstream of 20th century educational thinkers
such as John Dewey.  Shepherding and
instructing children are now seen as archaic in the dimming light of the 21st
Century. It is now politically incorrect to think that parents should actually
instruct children. This is the fruit of
attempting to leave God out of the social fabric of our society. Instruction in
the ways of righteousness is perceived as arrogance or even perversion itself.

West quotes Dwight
MacDonald in her book, who observed this disturbing trend in 1958. MacDonald
notes ” …it is not the duty of children toward their parents but precisely the opposite.” This observation has become reality. 

Now writing
some 50 years later Paul David Tripp writes about those who have lost their way
in midlife. In next few blog posts we will take a look at some of Paul’s insight
into the struggles of midlife. One valuable lesson that can be learned from
this journey is to recognize patterns in your children now that can lead to
struggles in midlife later on. This is yet another reason to focus and hold on
to the precious truths in the Scripture regarding raising your children.

See you next
week!

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