Our Scripture reading today is 1 Samuel 3:11-13.
Verse 13, "For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not."
Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were in no way representatives of what the priest's office was supposed to look like. These two young men lived very immoral lives and their father, Eli, did not do anything to prevent them from continuing in their sinful ways. He knew about it and did not do anything.
We do have a merciful God, but we also have a holy God. He will not allow sin to go unpunished. Sinful choices come with consequences. It is important that we teach and train our children according to the Word of God. They need to know what is right and wrong and why. They need to see a godly example in the lives of their parents. They need to be restrained from choosing to live according to the flesh. This type of discipline and training starts early and often and it is always done from a heart of love.