My daughter was coming home from college for the weekend to play the piano at her friend's wedding. Before she left, I sent her an e-mail directing her to take an alternate route instead of the one she usually travels for the 6-hour drive home. Why? Because on that road a few weeks earlier my wife and I had been delayed for 2 hours by construction crews.

As parents, we must provide alternate routes in life as well. We've observed the wrong highways others have traveled or perhaps the foolish ways we have taken, and we know they lead to delay or danger.

Think of all the possible paths our children might choose--the road of sexual immorality, the avenue of alcohol and drug abuse, the way of ungodly friends. But in Christ, there is an alternate path--a route that will lead our children away from the struggles we know they'll face on any other road.

The right route starts with the Via Dolorosa--the way of the cross. It starts with salvation. It continues with a path that is straight (Prov. 3:5-6) and is directed by God's Word (Ps. 119:105). It includes Jesus as a traveling companion (Jn. 8:12). That's the ultimate alternate route. Let's model it clearly so our children will see the right way.  — Dave Branon