Yesterday, a 15-year-old female student at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, shot and killed a teacher and a student and wounded 6 others before committing suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
As my 2015 cartoon depicts above, Americans have become desensitized. School shootings happen so often that the media and viewers lose interest quickly. Townhall’s Matt Vespa writes that this story isn’t going to last a week because the “suspect wasn’t a white male, and the firearm used in this crime was a 9mm handgun,” not an AR-15.
President Biden made the typical incoherent political statement calling on Congress to act and then touted his success in passing legislation.
Biden’s statement: “It’s shocking and unconscionable. We need Congress to act. Now.”
And, “My administration has taken aggressive action to combat the gun violence epidemic. We passed the most significant gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years.”
Obviously, his legislation didn’t stop this school shooter. Do you know why? Because the heart of the problem is the problem with the heart.
Jesus said in Matthew 15:19, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts — murder…”
Sadly, there is no executive order, legislation or magic wand that can change a person’s heart. But I know of a policy that could change the hearts of children before they become criminals and it won’t cost the government a dime.
I call it the “Policy for Parenting by Proverbs.” Proverbs is an Old Testament book of wisdom about human nature and it is filled with great parenting advice. You don’t even have to be a believer to apply these principles to your family. They can work for anyone.
1. Express love. “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” – Proverbs 10:12. Be gentle with your children. Never discipline them in anger but in love. Be gracious to them and they will learn to be gracious.
2. Explain truth. “Buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom and instruction and understanding.” – Proverbs 23:23. Children must be taught right from wrong. And while you’re at it, teach them to respect authority by how you respect those in authority. Parents who are disrespectful to teachers, coaches, employers or police are teaching their children to be disrespectful.
3. Expose sin. “Correct your children, and they will be wise; children out of control disgrace their mothers.” – Proverbs 29:15. Children need to learn that there are negative consequences to bad behavior and bad attitudes. Discipline your children while they are young. Don’t wait to discipline until your child is 16 and 200 pounds. By then, it’s too late. It’s easier to bend a twig than an oak tree. Failure to do this will bring parents disgrace.
4. Encouragement. “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he won’t depart from it.” -Proverbs 22:6. There are three things every child needs to hear from a parent. “I love you, I’m proud of you and you’re good at (fill in the blank).” It is important to study your child to see what they are interested in and then encourage them.
Parenting is hard. There are no perfect parents, myself included. But this policy worked in my family and I think it could change America’s future.
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Shrinkflation is when manufacturers reduce the size or amount of goods instead of increasing prices. President Biden’s economic policies of growing the economy from the “bottom up and middle out” have succeeded in making everything more expensive. Thanks Joe Biden.
RIGHT LINKS
Cal Thomas: Biden is behaving as if an invading foreign power is about to take over and the house must be burned down to keep the “invaders” from succeeding.
Red State – Mike Miller: James O’Keefe releases shocking video of NSC advisor admitting Biden is far worse off than we know.
Victor Davis Hanson: Are the years of madness ending? No one knows quite what is ahead, but all know that it is at least better already than the current nightmare.