Last weekend, police found and detained twenty 13 to 17-year olds at risk and unsupervised in inner Sydney between 10pm and 3am.

They phoned the parents to come and collect them. Ten refused.

Of the twenty, 17 were taken home by police or parents.

Three were accommodated at a youth refuge.

* * *

What about those parents unwilling to come?

Easy to criticise them.

Probably most had been out looking for and trying to collect those same brats a hundred times in recent months.

 . . . . kids who refuse to stay at home — once they’ve raided the fridge and stolen whatever  family property isn’t bolted to the floor.

Many of us parents did really have a go at controlling such young persons, and found it humanly impossible.

Perhaps one should keep chasing them and being nice until one drops dead . . . .

Or would it actually be kinder to tell them, “You’re always welcome home. This is where you belong. But never, never try coming without giving us 48 hours warning.”

* * *

There is no easy answer.

Ideally, prevention is the way.

But we’re stuck with a human nature tainted with Original Sin.

We inherit, and we ourselves pass on: weakness, ignorance, feral instincts and the desire to please other people rather than our Creator.

All of us, young and old, need to get motivated by the fear of God.

The Bible says, “Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God.”

* * *

Don’t count on second chances . . . or on God being like the tooth fairy (all niceness, no justice) . . . or on Reincarnation (which is manifest nonsense) . . . .

No. We die once, and we take with us what we have turned ourselves into – to judgment and to eternity.

A sobering thought.

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