There was a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. The vintner, who understood the value of the land and the potential value of the vine, took special care of his prized plants as one would care for their children. With a vision of plump grapes, he exceeded gardening standards and protocols by building a fence, removing rocky soil, choosing the best vine, and making a tower with a winepress. All the conditions were optimal; the vintner spared no expense or effort. He eagerly examined his crops at harvest time, anticipating plump, juicy, sweet grapes. However, he was rudely met with wild grapes: poison berries.
While this story can be read in full in Isaiah 5, I cannot help but fixate on the first few verses. I believe the vintner is Jesus, and in this parable, he went the extra mile in his selection and cultivation. As it says in verse 4, what more could have been done? Shouldn’t there be good fruits with the vineyard producing the finest crops due to his exceptional efforts? This lack of good fruit is a blemish to Napoleon Hill’s idea that going the extra mile will inevitably yield dividends. Sometimes, extraordinary efforts are met with underwhelming results.
Rebellious Children
Can you imagine creating humankind in your image, with the ability to choose to follow and love you, only to watch them rebel? You give them everything that pertains to life. You bless them with wealth, food, and water. You even provide your creation with a spouse and several pets. Per Genesis 2 and 3, God, the creator of everything, experienced the same fate as the vintner. Everything God does is exceptional, for He is excellence personified. And yet, beginning in the garden of Eden, God’s creation continues to yield wild grapes.
The common link between both stories is God’s love, enabling free will. And man, as a free moral agent, has a choice of whether to reciprocate love or pursue selfishness. And, in both events, mankind chose “self.” Is this God’s fault? Is God a horrible Father or leader? Absolutely not. Parent: It may not be your fault if your children do not follow the same Lord that you brought them up to follow. They have God-given freedom to choose. But, on the other hand, it may be your fault.
Children Can Read You Like a Book
Children can read you like a book. They know how genuine you are and whether you are faking it. When you don’t express genuine warmth or friendliness unless the person is attractive, influential, or wealthy, your kids see that. If you watch movies with violence, cursing, and sex and claim to be godly, your kids see the disconnect. You raise your hands in worship while they are stained with sin. You lose your temper with the kids daily and, with the same angry mouth, attempt to praise the Lord. Your children are not stupid; they see the hypocrisy.
Children Imitate You
When you fight with your husband or wife, your children witness how not to treat a spouse. When you spend endless hours watching sports or playing games on the TV, your kids see what you deem important. When your kids see you spend infinite money on toys, hobbies, and worthless items, they have a living testimony of what you value. When they accidentally catch you watching porn, drinking alcohol, or smoking, your testimony is ruined, and you might as well tie a millstone around your neck. You have offended your little ones; their mind is blown that the one person they knew intimately confessing faith in Jesus is just like the world.
You run to alcohol because you are running empty with the Spirit, so you try anything to gain some peace. You are addicted to porn, and your kids know it; they know something isn’t right. Do you think your children will be spared from this curse? No, I tell you, they will be more addicted and perverted than you are. How do I know this?
While I wasn’t addicted to alcohol, I did dabble with it as a believer and minister of the gospel. Why? Because I had “liberty” and liked how it took the edge off. This mindset exemplifies a total lack of faith on my part. I went to the bottle rather than the Bible. I sought the wine spirit over the Holy Spirit. “it’s just a little,” I rationalized. But a little became a little more. I didn’t get drunk, but little did I realize that intoxicating drink intoxicates to some degree. And being intoxicated is a work of the flesh according to Gal 5:21, and “those that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
But my children saw this and, unfortunately, witnessed me dabble with intoxicating drinks; I take the blame for this. Some of my other children are addicted to porn, sports, and video games. While I did not show porn to them (like my dad did), they indeed became more addicted and perverted than myself. My sports and video game addiction were horrible. I wasted endless hours on both, providing a horrendous example for my children. And to my shame, I have children who are more addicted to these vices than I was.
Confessing Your Failures to Children
Yes, friend, you may be a part of why your children rebelled. But that will not be a valid excuse for them on judgment day. They undoubtedly will answer for their sins regardless of your example. The good news is that you can be forgiven for your horrible leadership. You can begin being a great example of leadership by repenting to the Father and your children. Let them know how you failed them. Tell them how horrible you feel about your example and how it wasn’t godly. Let them witness God’s hand in your life, humbly confessing your failures.
Warning Against Idolizing Pet Doctrines
You may hold to the doctrine that once you are saved, you are always saved. You can never lose your salvation, no matter what. You were taught that eternal security is for all believers. Friend, you have been lied to. The vineyard was perfect, and the vine bore fruit. Much like a “churchian” dwells among other Christians, some “believers” have a toxic core. They seem like good people, but they are only religious. They only have the appearance of godliness but deny the power thereof. How can you identify them? Look at their fruits. Are they sinners? Do they have foul mouths? Do they gravitate toward sin and rebellion? Do they truly repent? Yes – you can tell.
Maybe you hide behind the façade of “eternal security,” thinking your sin is covered. Friend, as in Isaiah 5:5-7, God will remove his hedge from you. He will allow you to apostatize. He will withhold his loving kindness and correction. But God is merciful and kind. Humble yourself, repent, and turn to Him. He will forgive you and cleanse you. He will restore you despite the pit you dug for yourself.
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