By Ada Brownell
I discovered the government doesn’t know anything about love.
Banning The Ten Commandments and teaching children they’re
no more than animals was a mistake. Breaking any commandment hurts us or
someone else. When I was young, no one I knew locked their doors. We never had
anything stolen. Today you can’t leave any possession unlocked and even you
aren’t safe everywhere.
Other mistakes affect the view of love. When our oldest son was
in sixth grade, the schools brought in sex education. Educators claimed it would
end sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy.
Now, according the Centers for Disease Control, 40.7 percent
of births are to unmarried women. With contraception, abortion pills, the
morning-after pill which prevents a fertilized egg from attaching to the womb or
prevents ovulation, the number of teen pregnancies decreased. But that’s no victory for morality or love.
CDC’s new estimates on sexually transmitted diseases show 20
million new infections in the United States each year, costing $16 billion in
medical costs. Half of new sexually transmitted infections occur among youth.
Another problem with pitching The Ten Commandments is
divorce. Coveting, adultery and living together beforehand are major causes. After 10
years, the probability of a first marriage ending is 33 percent, compared with
62 percent for cohabitations.
In 2013, 25 million children lived in single parent
homes—one-third of the children.
I’ve seen how faith in God helps us understand love. My
oldest sister committed her life to Christ right after I was born. Everyone
else followed. The youngest, I watched how being committed to God brought love,
joy and peace in the family.
Despite deep poverty,
God lifted us beyond our dreams. Out of eight of us Nicholson siblings, not one
bride was pregnant before marriage. Not one divorce. Despite six being red
heads with a temper to match, God funneled our fire into achievement. Virgil
and Joe worked their way to doctorates and became educators. Virgil was the
force behind Evangel University’s great accreditation. Everette became a
pastor. The five sisters became devoted wives, mothers, businesswomen, church
musicians, Sunday school workers.
I’ve been married 61 years, and discover it’s more than
cupid’s work. The most romantic words ever are, “I’ll love you and only you
until death.” My husband and I made that vow, yet I found good marriages are
built by working at it every day.
Our nation was different when I grew up. But redemption is available;
truth can be discovered and lived. God’s promises still are true, evident in
our children and grandchildren. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Walk in love, as
Christ also has loved us and given himself for us” (Ephesians 5:2NKJ).
-- Ada Brownell is a retired journalist and author of five
books. This post first appeared in The Pueblo Chieftain in Colorado. Ada Brownell's latest book is Facts, Faith and Propaganda. Build a firm foundation for your faith. Her Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/adabrownell
No comments:
Post a Comment