Tonight, my wife Peggy and I hosted 17 wonderful youth for a barbeque, and had such a great time eating and laughing with them. Our time with them reminded me of how powerful friendship can be in forming a person. Many times, parents spend an amazing amount of time complaining about their children's friends, but very little celebrating good and godly friendships!
Well, here is my contribution to celebration! The young men and women we had at our home tonight (and that is truly what they are - young men and women), are among the greatest blessings Peggy and I have ever partaken of! Peer influence can literally make or break the moral, ethical, and spiritual life of a child. Most of us can remember the good, the bad, and the ugly connections we made while growing up, confirming my point.
However, when our children develop friendships with other young people raised in similar value structures that reinforce ours, we can experience an amazing relational synergy that accelerates our children's moral, ethical, and spiritual growth! These kind of friendships are worth their weight in gold and worthy of much praise! THANKS BE UNTO GOD ALONE FOR THE BLESSING OF GODLY FRIENDSHIPS FOR OUR CHILDREN!
