In his book Game On: The All-American Race to Make Champions of Our Children, Tom Farrey warns parents about the excessive pressure they can put on their kids to succeed. Farrey writes:

There are 12-year-olds driving race cars. Eleven-year-olds are turning pro in skateboarding. Nine-year-olds hire professional coaches. Eight-year-olds play 75 baseball games a year. Seven-year-olds vie for power-lifting medals. Six-year-olds have personal trainers. Five-year-olds play soccer year round. Four-year-old tumblers compete at the AAU Junior Olympics. Three-year-olds enter their third year of swim lessons. Two-year-olds have custom gold clubs.

Just for kicks, to get a sense for where all this might be headed, I flew to Australia with a cheek swab from my one-year-old son, Kellen, to get his DNA tested by a company that uses genetic analysis to recommend specific sports. Guess what? My baby boy has the right stuff for a specific Winter Olympic event.

Possible Preaching Angles: Obviously, this applies to parenting and family relationships, but it could also apply to our skewed priorities, our drive for success and achievement, and our lack of surrender to the Lordship of Christ.