Beware of spreading the contagious cancer of overt criticism and bitter words to the young.

“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”   Matthew 18:6 

One of the downsides of growing older is the tendency to see and experience so many of the darker sides of life.  In business, in relationships, and leadership.  How the sausage gets made often is not pretty.


Even in the effort to keep her heart clean and our spirit right, some realities are hard to forget, and there is the knowledge that makes innocently optimistic harder and harder.


The only way we can survive this potentially detrimental negativity is by the grace of God and intentionally trying to keep these hard spots treated and submerged in the spirit of God.


One of the most damning things a person can do is to infect the young with cancer that should only be accumulated through time and experience.


However, when parents, grandparents, elders share they built up carcinogens of decades into the young and innocent minds, they are practicing one of the most dangerous Activities that could destroy their future and warp their minds.


My parents were not in the ministry, they were saints in the church. Though they may not have agreed or appreciated what was going on in the church, I was innocently unaware.


I remember having a “prophet” At our church, and I had invited several friends, and this “proper” went down the line telling them of conditions in infirmities they had. In reality, they did not have any of those things.


I remember feeling so disillusioned.


I told my dad, “ I am not going back while this preacher is there.”    His response to me was, “ we don’t go to church for the preacher; we go to church for God.”  He did not add his commentary or opinion; he just let me know on those uncertain terms, you don’t miss church because you don’t like the preacher.


I had no reason not to like him, but I did not believe what he was doing was God.  This moment in time has taught me, abuse and misuse of the prophetic are some of the most tragic forms of spiritual malpractice I know of 35 years later.


I have seen parents not protect the innocent.  The result is you have young people, young adults with an overly critical mind.    A critical mind can be cancer.  It can steal from you The blessing of a worship service, a message from God, 

Innocence was one of the original gifts of the garden.

Knowledge, experience, time steals that from you.  Children have a little slice of paradise in their minds. They will lose it over time like we all do. All of the things that we have to guard against, because of life and time, these young minds have not built up a corresponding understanding that we are all flesh.


Jesus told us, “except we become as little children, you can’t enter the kingdom.”

I believe a big part of that is a childlike ability to believe and accept people.”


To see the good 

To hope in the best

To live in the moment

To believe in the promises of God


Beware, don’t spread the carcinogenic hurt, knowledge, and disappointment with your kids, youth, young ministers.


In respect to the obvious flaws, personal disagreements, sin and failure in the church locally and the movement at large.


They will learn too much of that as it is.  

Protect the innocent 

God help me to be innocent in my mind, heart, and mind.

Create in me a clean heart oh God and renew a right spirit in me.

In Jesus Name, 


Scott A. Phillips