Truth Magazine

By Mr. and Mrs. Clifford W. Bell

Respect for others is grounded in respect for God himself. From the beginning of time, man has been taught the importance of having respect for God, for his word, and for our fellow man.

Respect Begins With Parents

In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve learned a great lesson of the unhappiness that comes in life when we fail to respect God’s law. Their own failure to submit to the Word of God contributed to failure and great tragedy in their family. Cain did not have respect for God, which caused him to commit murder (Gen. 4). These accounts show us how disrespect leads to sin.

We, as parents, must have respect for God’s law, which includes civil laws as they are ordained of God. If we fail to be the right examples before our children and the world, how can we expect our children to respect us or the law of God. This training must begin when we bring them into the world. Respect must first be taught and learned at home. Please do not wait until they are toddlers! If we fail to teach them in the very early years of life, the task will become more difficult with every passing day.

As we teach our children to have respect for others, let us remember that wives must set the right example by respecting their husbands as the leader in the family; likewise the husband should respect the wife as she assumes her role in the home (Eph. 5:22-33).

We only need to look around us to see the many problems that have arisen in our society today because of the lack of respect for authority in the home, school, the Lord’s church, and our nation. Let us say again, as parents we must set the proper example along this line if we expect our children to listen to our teaching on respect. I am reminded of a story told by brother Bobby Thompson (faithful evangelist at Pruett and Lobit church of Christ) about the father who was walking across a freshly plowed field, when he heard someone behind him. As he turned he saw his young son trying to place his small feet in the large steps his father had made in the fresh soil. The youngster eagerly said, “Keep on, Daddy, I’m walking in your steps.” Do we want our children walking in our steps? Oh, how careful we must be!

How to Show Respect

There are many ways in which we show respect: by the things we say and the way we say them, by the things we do and our attitude when we participate in daily activities, and also by taking care of the property of others.

Brother Bell’s Comments

When I was in college during the 1930s and when I was in the Armed Services from 1940-1945, 1 rode on buses and trains a lot of the time. If a young lady or an elderly person got on the bus or train and there were no empty seats, I would immediately offer that person mine. Today we rarely ever find anyone getting up to offer his chair to anyone – young, elderly, or crippled. This is an example of the change in our society in failing to show respect for others.

We need a revival in learning the importance of showing respect in every walk of life and especially toward the aged.

How can we show respect? Young people, think with me as I list some of the ways:

1. Listen to your parents when they address you.

2. Don’t talk back to your parents.

3. Never talk about them in a disrespectful manner such as “the old man” or “the old lady.”

4. Be attentive to them and give them a kind and honest answer.

5. Be a “man of your word. ” Promises should not be broken. You want them to trust you so always be honest. Parents should realize that these items just listed apply to them as well as to their children, especially number 5.

6. Show respect to the boy or girl you are dating. Treat them like you would want someone to treat your brother or sister when they date.

Respect for the Elderly

Young people generally do not outwardly show a lot of respect for elderly people. We notice this at worship services and also in the home. Why? Probably, because very few people take the time to train their children as we are commanded (1 Tim. 5:12).

We must respect our parents, grandparents, neighbors, and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Someone has said, “Don’t let your parents down, they brought you up.” Parents are willing to go without many things, just to make life easier for their children. They have loved and cared for you through the years when the going wits rough. They will continue to pray for you and help in every way possible as you prepare to take your place in this life and look for a city whose builder and maker is God.

Let us all respect the elderly and let them know they are “special.” We honor our aged parents when they are unable to care for themselves by providing for their every need physical, spiritual, and emotional. They cared for us when we were unable to care for ourselves.

Sister Bell Comments Regarding Her Aunt and Mother As I think of the years when I was a teenager at home some fifty years ago, I well remember when an elderly aunt, 85 years of age, came to live with us for about four years. My parents had 10 children. Our only brother was not living at home, but there were nine of us girls living with our parents in a five room house. There were beds in every room in the house I think except in the kitchen, but we found room for Aunt Allie. I will never forget how my mother was willing to make room for my Daddy’s aunt. The respect that Mother showed for Daddy, by willingly making room in our house for his elderly aunt made a lasting impression on her children. This is a good example of “respect for the elderly.”

My daddy died when Mother was 78 years old. Mother lived alone for eight or nine years, but in 1980 she felt the need to be with some of us.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:2, “Honor thy father and mother.” In 1 Timothy 5:4 and 16 we learn that we have the responsibility to care for our parents, that the church be not charged. We are thankful to have been taught to respect God’s laws by respecting our mother and doing our part to help make her last years on this earth as pleasant as possible.

All the girls decided that she would live with each one of us for one month; in 1981, she began living with her children. She has an extended visit of a month. While in our home she enjoys seeing our grandchildren more and it works the same with the other sisters. Since there are about seventy grandchildren and great grandchildren, she enjoys seeing a few of them each month.

Learning Respect From Our 95 Year-Old Mother

Mother is now 95 years old and she seems to have aged faster these past two or three years; she needs more loving care than she once did. When she comes to spend a month with us now, other things must be set aside so that her needs are not neglected. While we have tried to show love and respect to her, she has continued to teach us the meaning of love and respect even in her declining years. There was a time a few years ago that she helped in the kitchen and folded clothes (maybe not the way I would have done it), but that meant so much to her. “Why?” you may ask. She still felt she was able to do something to help others. She spent many hours and days piecing quilts for her loved ones.

Times have changed. She isn’t able to do things for us in a physical way any more. Her eyesight isn’t good, her hearing is almost gone, and her body is frail. She needs help sometimes just to get from the chair to the table. She isn’t able to dress herself or take care of her personal needs, but she spent the month of December with us and did not miss any of the worship services at Pruett and Lobit. She is not able to hear much of the sermon; she can’t read well enough or hear the song leader to sing much, but she tries sometimes. She readily partakes of the Lord’s Supper and begins to look for her check when the time comes for her to contribute of her means. When her mind was good she told me many times, that even though she may worship at other congregations, she wanted her contribution to go to Pruett and Lobit, because she knew the truth was taught there and her membership was there. Mother is still teaching us today by demonstrating great respect for God and his laws. She is due our respect.

Examples of Younger People Showing Respect

There are not many pleasures for Mother in this life anymore, but she still enjoys being with her family and especially the little ones; they have time to make her laugh. It means so much if you just stop long enough to give “Mee-Maw” a hug or kiss; that just makes her day and the days are long for her now. Besides giving her a little attention, we can be helpful in other ways. Even though you are young in years, the elderly need you and it is appreciated so much. Just watch them smile when you are kind or show them a little respect by lending a helping hand.

Our 17-year-old grandson was here in December while Mother was with us. He helped “Mee-Maw” from her chair to the table when it was time to eat. We have a four-year old grandson who spent several days with us while Mother was here. He would go to her chair and ask, “Mee-Me, do you want me to get you something?” He held the quilt pieces for her when she worked on a quilt.

You should have seen Mother smile when her grandson helped her to the table. She rewarded the four-year-old with a kiss for being her little helper.

We were getting out of the car one Sunday morning in time for worship services. While Cliff was parking the car, a young man in his thirties came by and said, “Sister Young, take my arm and I will help you go into the building.” Mother looked up at him, smiled, and took his arm as they walked into the building. She was so pleased. Thank you, Marcus Suttle.

There , are many elderly people who are not as blessed as “our” mother. There are nine daughters along with eight sons-in-law who love and respect her.

Some do not have children to care for them and some have children who do not care for them. Sometimes the children are unable (physically) to care for them. There are those who are not willing to give up other pleasures to spend the time (sometimes twenty-four hours a day) caring for the aged.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 12, pp. 358-359
June 15, 1989

By Ronny E. Hinds

One Old Testament story that has always interested me is found in 2 Chronicles 34. It involves the finding of “the Book of the Law of the Lord given by Moses.” Obviously, it must have been lost! Implied in this is the carelessness and indifference of the people. They had allowed it to become lost.

We are exceedingly careful with the things we treasure and usually they do not get lost. Antiques, family heirlooms, old faded cards with loving messages inscribed, locks of baby’s hair, photographs of past generations, these are the items we pass from generation to generation with love and sentimentality. That is the way we are and that is the way it should be.

If that is the way we are with “this world’s goods,” then what should be our attitude toward God’s inspired book the Bible. The answer is simple. It should be treasured beyond all treasures. Never should we become so careless as to “lose it.”

In a world filled with Bibles, that would seem to be impossible. And, I guess that is right, physically – that is; we can always find a copy somewhere. Yet, what good does it do to hold a copy in our hands and fail to allow its words (teachings) to direct our lives. It might as well be lost!

A significant part of the story of 2 Chronicles is when they found it they “read it. ” An even more significant act was when the king “heard it” he realized the conduct of Israel and Judah was not acceptable to God and he set about to correct it. That is exactly what God’s words are designed to do. They are to be read, listened to, obeyed! They are to correct our false ways. They are to bring redemption and salvation to us.

We must learn from this that it does no good to have Bibles if we do not read them. They might as well be lost. And, it does no good to read them if we are not willing to do what they say. They might as well be lost. Living in a house with Bibles stacked to the ceiling will not change this. Is your Bible lost?

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 11, p. 335
June 1, 1989

By H.E. Phillips

As parents, do you believe you must give account to God for the training of your children? Do you believe it will have anything to do with your eternal destiny? Do you believe it is possible for you to rear your children in the chastening and admonition of the Lord? What is your present attitude toward rearing your children? These are very challenging questions for every father and mother and they must be addressed.

It is important to use time in the most profitable way. Parents have approximately twenty years to develop, teach, train, and prepare a child for adulthood and eternity. To fail at either is to make a grievous mistake that will have disastrous consequences in both time and eternity. It is therefore of the most serious importance that parents begin with the birth of the child to use these twenty years to complete the greatest task they can undertake.

When Should Parents Begin to Teach Their Children?

Many traits of character and habits begin with the first weeks after birth. Every child goes through these stages: infancy, babyhood, childhood, adolescence and adulthood. In every stage there are special things to teach and emphasize. Through these stages the child is continually changing, accordingly, the things taught and the method of teaching must change. Many important things should be said on this subject, but space prohibits further discussion at this time.

Parents must learn the needs of their children early and adapt the substance taught with the best method for the child’s disposition and age level. Successful teaching requires understanding, patience, vigilance, persistence, determination, and a lot of faith and prayer. Good parents will teach the important things over and over again through these years of development, and with greater intensity as the child matures. The early years are vital to proper development of character, disposition and obedience, and are the stepping stones to a strong faith in God and his word.

How Should Parents Teach Their Children? ‘

The place to begin is with a genuine love for the child and his welfare. The inspired apostle Paul said that even if he had the speech of angels, and the understanding, knowledge, and faith to move mountains, and sacrificed his body to be burned, and had not love, he was nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3). This love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; it suffers long. A child knows when he is loved and when he is not. This is true of all of us. I can tell when a brother or sister does not love me, even though he smiles and says nice things.

The love that parents should have for their children will be kind and longsuffering. That does not mean that parents should be compromising with truth or tolerate disobedience. Discipline is necessary in expressing true love. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Heb. 12:6). Firm, just, and fair discipline, administered with love for the child, is essential to the child’s good, and parents rob their children when it is not lovingly, justly and impartially given to every child. The real problem with discipline is that often parents lack the love, patience and understanding of the child’s need. The physical and emotional abuse of children results from the unjust, impatient and ignorant discipline by parents.

Unselfishly giving to the children the necessary things of life. The Father of lights gives us every good and perfect gift from above (Jas. 1:17). Parents owe their children so much in preparing them for life here and hereafter. Children know when parents give them the leftovers of their time and energy. Parents should give some prime time to their children. They should talk to them often about things that are important to them. Show a genuine interest in their problems as well as their goals and aspirations.

Parents must do their best to provide their children with food, clothing, shelter, education and other necessities of life. If one does not provide for his own, and that includes his children, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel (1 Tim. 5:8). If you stop to think about this statement, the one who does not provide for his own house, has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. Such a person will certainly not go to heaven!

What Do Parents Teach Their Children?

The physical condition of your child depends upon what you feed him and how he exercises. The same is true of his mental, emotional and spiritual being.

The most important thing you can put into the mind of your child is the Word of God. Respect for it as the only standard of right and wrong must become as much a part of your child’s life as his awareness of his own personal needs. When children know and believe the Bible, they will understand the importance and place of true love (1 Cor. 13), the real meaning and purpose of life (1 Pet. 3:10-12), the place and importance of law (Jas. 1:22-27; Gal. 6:2), and the strength and anchor of the hope of eternal life (Rom. 8:24,25; Tit. 1:2; 1 Jn. 2:25).

Teach your children to pray every day, and to expect God to hear and answer their prayers for their good and God’s glory. Teach your children to seek truth and right, and to shun evil and evil companionship (1 Cor. 15:33). Do this on every level of their lives. Teach them that they will reap what they sow (Gal. 6:7,8). Teach them to have responsibility from early age. Teach.them good manners and respect for others and their property. Teach them to honor their parents (Eph. 6:2,3). Teach them to have respect for themselves, their minds and bodies, and to have good conscience in all things.

Teach your children about sex and its place in their lives. Instill in their hearts the evils and consequences of fornication, adultery and homosexuality. Teach them the dangers and consequenc s of premarital sex. Teach them about drugs, alcohol and tobacco and their destructive power. Teach them about the danger of yielding to peer pressure. Teach them the importance of selecting their companions.

Teach your children obedience from childhood; this is very important for them to go to heaven (Eph. 6:1; Col. 3:20; Rom. 1:30-32; 2 Tim. 3:45). Disobedience involves several things which are condemned in the word of God. It means to despise authority; to be stubborn. It means to be unthankful (Rom. 1:21), which is a dangerous attitude. It means to be unholy (1 Tim. 1:9). It is without natural affection (Rom. 1:31); implacable: unreconcilable. It is characteristic of children of hell (Jude 3; Rom. 1:26). Most people do not include all of this in disobedience, but it involves all because it is motivated by a mind that will not submit to authority, but walks by one’s own will and sensual appetites. Children must be taught obedience all their lives, and must learn that they are to teach this to their children.

There are three main areas your child needs to be developed:

1. Prepare them to serve God. No phase of your child’s life is more important than his spiritual life. Fail at this, and a soul is lost in eternity. Your child must be taught the word of God so that he becomes a Christian. A great ball player, lawyer, doctor, teacher, is a failure if he is not a Christian because life is short and eternity never ends (Jas. 4:13). It is not enough to be just a Christian, he must be a true wor shipper of God (Jn. 4:22-24). Children should be taught to have the love and desire to evangelize the world.

2. Prepare them for marriage and parenthood. The serious problem of divorce in this age attests to the failure of parents to prepare their children for this very important part of their lives. Most of your children will select a mate and marry at some time in the future. The teaching and training of your children will assure the care and teaching of your grandchildren (2 Tim. 1:5). Teach your son and daughter how to select a mate and how to be good husbands and wives. Teach your children how to be good parents to teach their children the right things and prepare them for life and eternity.

3. Prepare them for this life with success. Every child needs direction and encouragement in becoming a good citizen. Obedience to civil law is obedience to God’s law (Rom. 13:1-5; 1 Pet. 2:13,14). Not only must parents tell the child how to be an honest and submissive citizen, but they must show them by being good citizens themselves. Children and teenagers need strong teaching and supervision in this area of their lives.

Children must be provided with education and skills to prepare them for the business world. They must be taught to have good and honest attitudes toward work and money.

Children must be taught to honor their fathers and mothers (Eph. 6:2). Honor means to hold in high regard. It also means to provide for their needs when they are old. They should also learn to show piety at home and to requite their parents (1 Tim. 5:4). Parents should so conduct themselves during the lifetime of the children as to be honored and respected by them while they are young and when they are grown.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 12, pp. 354, 390
June 15, 1989

By Foy W. Vinson

After the death of my mother in October 1981, my father wrote a loving and moving tribute in memory of her which was read at her funeral and published in some of the papers thereafter. Now with the passing of my father I thought it appropriate to pen a tribute to him in view of the life he lived and the fact that he was known and respected by so many. It has been said with tongue in cheek that, in view of the tremendous impact that parents have on children, both physically and spiritually, one should select his father and mother very carefully. Of course, one is not afforded the luxury of such a choice; however, had I been so afforded, I could have not have made a better choice than those who gave me life and reared me to manhood.

Dad was born to a poor farmer and his wife, John H. and Dolly Vinson, in Sand Flat, a community a few miles south of Grand Saline in Van Zant county, Texas on July 5, 1906. Shortly thereafter the family moved to the Danville community, a few miles southwest of Longview. Following this there were brief moves to West Texas and to Oklahoma as my grandfather struggled to scratch out a living where the opportunities seemed best. Finally the family returned to the Longview area, this time settling in the Peatown community where my dad completed his youth. As a young man he also farmed and his sister said he was one of the best at successfully bringing in the crops.

Dad was baptized into Christ in the summer of 1922 by John W. Hedge. The baptism took place in a small creek in Danville that had to be dammed up to collect sufficient water for immersion. He first began to preach in 1929, speaking a few times at the church in Longview. Brother Hedge and brother John W. Akin were instrumental in getting him to begin preaching. Public speaking did not come easy for this young farm lad and I can remember my mother speaking of how nervous he was in his early attempts, even to the point of trembling. His first “meeting” was a weekend affair in Kosse, Texas beginning on a Friday evening in December of 1929 and running through Sunday night. It was on that Friday evening, December 6, that he saw for the first time the young lady that was to become my mom. As he said: “I was first attracted to her by her physical beauty, the most beautiful eyes I ever saw; but I loved her, and love her still, for her inner beauty, her spiritual character.”

That meeting led to an exchange of letters and four or five trips back to Kosse for purposes other than preaching. The following summer they were married on July 30, 1930. Shortly after the marriage Dad lost his government job of tick eradication (cattle dipping). In the meantime, due to the depression, hordes of people were out of work, but along about that time east Texas was blessed with the discovery of oil. This resulted in a considerable influx of people into the area and the Longview Post Office began giving tests for positions. Dad took the test and was the first local resident during that period who was employed out of some 200 who took the test. He went to work for 75 cents an hour and continued working for the post office the next twenty years. I was born in early 1932 and my brother Bryan made his arrival in July of 1934. During the years of my childhood and almost until my last -year of high school Dad continued to preach with considerable regularity and also served for a time as an elder in the Longview church.

I remember as a small boy and young man often going with him on Sundays to such places as Athens, Mineola, Big Sandy and Hallsville where he would preach, sometimes for rather extended periods. Those years were very formative for Dad as a Bible student and preacher. He would work long hard hours delivering mail for the Post Office and then spend hours each evening pouring over his Bible and various religious books. He was a voracious reader, and next to the Scriptures he delighted in reading and imbibing eagerly from restoration literature, especially the writings of Campbell and Lard.

In the spring of 1948 Dad left the Post Office and moved to Dallas to begin his first “full-time local work.” A year and a half later he moved back to Longview, not convinced that local work was what he wanted to do, and returned to his Post Office job. However, he was clearly not happy back there, so he returned to Dallas in 1950 and for a time spent his time conducting meetings. In 1951 he moved to Denton and preached for the Pearl Street church there. Then in the spring of 1953 he began work with the Norhill church in Houston and said later that this was the most enjoyable local work he ever had. In 1956 he moved to Tulsa to work with a new congregation and then returned to Longview in September 1957 to preach for the newly formed church meeting on Judson Road. He was with them for some three years, after which he retired from local preaching and remained in the Longview area until his death.

My dad was a unique man in many ways – anyone who ever heard him preach would grant me that. He was a stem, but loving, father whom I feared but dearly loved from my earliest recollections. He was a most devoted husband who never ceased to remind Bryan and me of what a loving and sacrificial mother we had. As a teacher and preacher of the Word he was indeed exceptional. He was no scholar in the formal sense of the term, his formal education being limited to about a year of college due to his circumstances, but he was a scholar in the true sense of the word. He knew the book! He said that when he first began to preach he would memorize fifty or sixty verses of Scripture for each sermon. He later said that this was not the way to preach, that there is a difference between “quoting” and preaching. He thought some preachers put so many Scriptures in their sermons they had little time to actually preach. His vocabulary was incredible, but it was not pretense or used simply to impress. He didn’t write one way and speak another. This was just Dad. His long sentences and big words were such as he had learned from pouring over the writings of Campbell and others, and though he challenged his hearers with what he had to say and the way he said it, he could be understood and doing so was always worth the effort!

I have heard it said that when an old person dies it is like a small library burning down. In my father’s case it was more like a large one burning down. I never ceased to marvel at the storehouse of information which he so readily drew from up to his last days. I often thanked my heavenly Father for my earthly one, and now I’m so grateful for his completed life, for the heritage he left me that is beyond my aptitude to describe. I’m thankful that he has now “crossed the bar,” that he has gone to be with his Lord, and that as good as his life was here, it is now “far better.”

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 11, p. 343
June 1, 1989