"Careful... children will listen!"

"The sin of Judah is written with an iron pen; with a diamond point it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts, and on the horns of their altars, while their children remember their altars and their sacred poles, beside every green tree, and on the high hills, on the mountains in the open country."

(Jeremiah 17:1-3a)

I was first introduced to the Broadway musical, INTO THE WOODS through the 2014 Hollywood film of the same title. And immediately I loved it! I do have a theater background, so that's part of it. But it was the music that captivated me from the start. If you don't know the story, think of it as a collection of classic fairy tales, whose stories all intermingle.

One of the songs in that production is called, "Children Will Listen." The chorus says this:

Careful the things you say

Children will listen

Careful the things you do

Children will see and learn

Children may not obey, but children will listen

Children will look to you for which way to turn

In the 17th chapter of the book of Jeremiah, God tells the prophet that the people's sins are etched so deeply into their hearts and lives, it's as if they used an iron pen with a diamond engraving tip (the original Sharpie!). But not only that, their children have been watching them... and remembering. Remembering where they as a family had worshipped (and it wasn't the temple)... worshipped other gods... with the sacred poles... outside in nature by the trees, in the hills, even up in the mountains. "Careful the things you do, children will listen."

We often like to think that the things we choose to do (for good or ill) affect only us. The classic line, "Why should you care about what I do? I'm not hurting anybody!" is a popular one. And yet... others watch what we do - especially our children.

What a sobering reality: our children not only are watching everything we say and do, but may actually perpetuate our darkest sides. They aren't guaranteed to, of course... but they're watching how we communicate, argue, love, serve, help, criticize, and spend our free time.

Forgive me, LORD, when I say to do things that don't bring you honor. And guard the hearts and minds of those young ones who are watching me. AMEN.