Into the Fire

(Just in case you haven’t noticed, last week involved question marks. This week it shall be exclamation points! However, Wednesday I’m headed to Stockton in a semi with my husband, so you might not hear from me for a few days. It depends on wireless access among other things.)

I think it’s a given that even in Christianity there are multiple ways of parenting. And not all of them would necessarily be considered “the best” by everyone. While there are some gifted parents who do not know Jesus personally, if you believe as I do that knowing Him gives anyone an edge in understanding and practicing Truth, then you would agree Christian parents have a decided advantage. Certainly not because of who they are, but because of who He can be within them if given the right of way.

Even with the enormous variety in God’s creation of people, parents are generally going to recognize their DNA in their offspring. Perhaps little Johnny has Daddy’s eyes but Mommy’s penchant for being introspective while little Sally has Mommy’s curly hair and Daddy’s robust personality. The point is that for as many teaching styles as there are for as many different learning styles, little people even within the same family might require different methods to get the yes and no parts across to them.

The responsibility of raising children is magnified when one is or becomes a Christian. Those little ones are on loan—they aren’t possessions or objects for vicarious living not fulfilled when parents were young. We are held accountable for how we bring them up and for us it is a requirement to bring them up “in the fear and admonition of the Lord”. This is no simple task as most any parent can testify. Oftentimes, failures abound. On the job training is at its most extreme when parenting.

One of the major concerns for parents in an ever-escalating way is the protection of their children from a mountain of material that is easily viewed in retail outlets, films, books, television, video games, and on computers. Almost everyone can agree that children cannot handle certain material with the understanding of an adult—at least some adults. Some children are more vulnerable than others to certain stimuli and if adversely affected by it are unable to interpret their fears or concerns adequately. As a parent, we are supposed to learn what is helpful, encouraging, and beneficial for our kids when they are young in order to help them view what they will ultimately face as older children and as young adults.

The education of young children includes the explanations of why one thing is bad or evil or harmful in comparison to what is good, godly, and helpful. If Mom and Dad have no clue, then there is a great army of potentially destructive material and practices available to children. It is the parents’ job to figure out what one child is capable of understanding in contrast to what another child might not be. When in doubt, leave it out.

If parents don’t take the offensive in the battle and err on the side of cautionary exposure, children can begin to imitate worldly thinking, activity, and behavior with very little effort on their parts because we must remember their natures tend toward sin. They don’t call it “the terrible twos” for nothing. Sooner or later, the human stain shows up in even the sweetest little ones.

So what’s the controversy? On a few blogs the opinions are being expressed about how to “combat” films and books geared toward children which promote ungodly propaganda. Parents are standing armed on both sides of the aisle—one side insisting that these books/films can be used as teaching tools or to spurn conversations at the dinner tables across America, and the other side insisting there is no justifiable reason to expose these wrong ideas/philosophies to their kids. Either side is assuming there is one size fits all.

You could be the parent with one child who might benefit from the exposure to explanation mode and another child who needs the shelter of your protection from such viewing or reading. Sometimes as adults we forget what it’s like to view things from a child’s perspective. We negate the fear or confusion factors. How many times have we recalled an incorrect perception we acquired as a child and carried into adulthood, only to discover how misguided it was based on what we perceived through a child’s eyes?

We must never forget the enemy of our souls knows no boundaries and carries no mercy, especially where children are concerned. The earlier he can make an inroad to their spiritual destruction the happier he is. He preys upon the young and old who have formed no opinions or behavioral tendencies which lean toward God.

If as a parent you are weak in spiritual knowledge, now is the time to allow the Holy Spirit full access to your learning skills. Children are easy targets who become victims without knowing the principles of the faith. Parents who can’t spot the easy access areas for their children to be influenced toward evil have inadvertently allowed their children to become fair game to the schemes of the ruthless devil.

If you take the battle for children’s souls lightly, you are making it simple for them to be overcome with evil. It’s too blatant in today’s world to be ignored. And it’s up to parents to be the first to recognize and protect, educate, and pray without ceasing for their children’s ability to follow Jesus Christ amidst all the world’s efforts to conceal, mock, or deny the Truth.

Father, no one is more precious to you than children of all ages. Help us to be accountable for all we say and do around them, knowing we are not perfect, but help us to make as few mistakes as possible and to show them you, your love, your protection, your Truth, and divine ways. Let us take to heart the charge of raising children, never forgetting that even after they are all grown up we still serve as examples. Help us to be courageous in our decisions and put the spiritual teachings first. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.