Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday March 28, 2006

Each morning after Bible study and prayer, one of the papers on my list is my home town paper, now published Monday thru Friday when they get around to it on the net. It's a good paper named "The Cecil Whig." Imagine my surprise when I clicked on the site and there right in front my eyes in bold black letters:

FIVE ACCUSSED AS 'DEABEAT DADS' ARE ARRESTED.

A two page article described the efforts of the Child Support Services to find and arrest the 20 men who owed the most money in back child support. The service had placed ads in several venues including photos of the 'deadbeats.' It got results. The county is owed over $2 million dollars due to a refusal by these 'men' to pay up. Historically after a weekend or more in the pokey, men find a way to pay this first of obligations.

I have sent copies of this article to several family service agencies and news papers.

Several names immediately caught my attention as I knew these men to be members of Bible believing churches. One is a worker in the youth department!! For shame!!

Sheriff Barry Janney said more names and pictures will be advertised in the future. I mention this article because I am old enough to think it is high time for clergy to address this growing abandonment of responsibility by men, especially those men who carry a Bible in one hand and money in the other that rightfully before God and man belongs to their children.

I was appalled at a note from a 'clergyperson' commenting on a similar article that I "should pay attention to spiritual matters and leave off the legal ones."

Of course in my kind, Jesus loves you, best manner I assured the female 'clergyperson' that while non-support has legal ramifications, where professing Christians are involved non-support of offspring is a spiritual matter and a serious one at that.

In addressing this abandonment of spiritual responsibility to those who rightfully depend on us Paul wrote to Pastor Timothy in the first epistle 5:8:

"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."

Jesus Christ Himself stated:

"It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." Luke 17:2

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2006 Use with credit.

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