I read a book today.. about a child that grew up in a home unfit to grow a child. He was molested, maltreated and nurtured to become the worst version of himself. Then everyone started calling him a bad boy, a menace to the society.. and guess what? He actually turned out to be the greatest menace that society had ever seen.

This got me thinking…

Why would we give up on a “difficult” child and abandon all hopes of his or her salvation? Wouldn’t it be way better to throw that child into a den of ravenous lions to be devoured and forgotten than to give up and condemn him or her to the worst of treatments (verbal or physical), in which he or she is reminded constantly of how his or her existence is a curse to the world for in truth, that would be the end result.

No one knows what the future holds for anyone be it a child or an adult. Even the good and pampered child, loved by all can turn out to be a murderer, drug addict and adulterer in the end. You ask how?

Life is made up of seasons (seasons of happiness, joy, love, sorrow, discomfort, pain, success and failure) and in each of these lie the test of our character and strength. Some fail woefully along the way, unable to stand the test of whatever values and discipline they have acquired in life.

No matter how much discipline a parent or guardian tries to instill in a child, eventually the child  maybe an adult now, would have to develop and rely on his or her own self discipline to conquer life’s temptations and unavoidable challenges.

A child except condemned by God to end up a disaster, is still a child and childhood remains the easiest time to influence a life, a soul, a destiny.

As a parent or guardian, a great step in the right direction would be to make sincere and consistent efforts to get that child away from the “devils” (all forms of negative influence either in form of humans or technology), anything that could render your efforts useless. Emigrate if necessary but get that child away!

God has placed a destiny in your hands and whether you like it or not, you will answer for whatever role you played in his or her growth.

Never give up on a child, for that is the fastest way to condemn him or her to destruction and ruin. Sooner or later, the child will come into his or her own, a fully grown man or woman, fully responsible for his or her own decisions. What will be your own contribution? What gifts do you have to share to make this being the best he or she could ever be?