Our homes are invaded almost daily with the modern culture.
Even Christian parents, trying to shelter their children from the wider world,
find themselves trying to explain “gay marriage” and “transgender bathrooms.”
We are forced to have conversations on topics that we never even thought about
as kids.
My husband and I discuss this almost daily. We’d so much
rather not discuss why a man wants to dress up as a woman, or why two women
want to get married, why we don’t let the little boys go into a men’s restroom
alone, why our daughters do not shop alone, and more. But we have to remember
that God knew this time was coming, and he gave us these children at this point
in history. As Mordecai told his niece Esther when she was given the enormous task
of saving the Jews: “You were born for such a time as this.”
So what is a parent to do?
First, PRAY. God did indeed give you these children for
this time, and He will guide you. Pray for wisdom from His word, pray for
direction, pray specifically for how you can raise your children in this “crooked
and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
(Philippians 2:15)
Second, DISCIPLE.
Daily instruction in God’s word is key in raising children in this age. God’s
word is very clear on men and women, marriage, sexual perversion, and right and
wrong. It’s very clear on the hardening of hearts to the truth, and on fools
being led astray. Read it with and to your children daily. Memorize
passages. Explain how they relate to our times. It is impossible to
courageously engage the culture without a firm foundation.
Third, DISCUSS
WORLDVIEW. If our children are to be exposed to the 21st century
culture, they must be double-exposed to your Christian worldview. They must put
on the whole armor of God. They must be able to see every cultural and
political happening in the light of Scripture. They need to understand that
there is nothing new under the sun. Discuss current events with them. Play
devil’s advocate, and ask them to defend the scriptures.
None of what we see today surprises God. Remember: He
destroyed the earth with a flood when wickedness was rampant in the earth. Sodom and Gomorrah
were deep in sexual perversion when He destroyed them with fire. We may feel
shocked and defeated when these behaviors permeate our culture, but God has
seen it all repeatedly since the creation of man.
God has given you a task: to raise godly children in a
godless world. Instead of living in fear of what the culture can do to them, we
can embrace this calling and prepare our children for the battle.
Our children can be encouraged to keep their focus on God’s
purpose for them. What does God require of us?
Master, which is the
great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is
the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and
the prophets. Matthew 22: 36-40
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee? but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8
Pure religion and undefiled before God and
the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and
to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27
We are not
commanded to approve of sin, but we are commanded to love our neighbor, do
justly, love mercy, walk humbly, care for widows and orphans, and keep
ourselves unspotted from the world.
My friend Bambi (In the Nursery of the Nation) wrote a great post last year after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage at Revive Our Hearts. It's what first encouraged me that our children were born for this time. I think you'll find it very encouraging.
My friend Bambi (In the Nursery of the Nation) wrote a great post last year after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage at Revive Our Hearts. It's what first encouraged me that our children were born for this time. I think you'll find it very encouraging.
History is full of exciting tales of heroes. But if you look closely, almost every historic hero was someone who swam against the tide, who stood for what was right, and proclaimed unpopular truths.
Remind your children of this when you study history together. The right path is always the narrow one. But when we teach our children about
culture through the lens of Scripture, they know that they serve a big God who
is eternal, and not a temporary popular culture.
Stay strong, parents. You may be raising a Daniel!
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