We, the godly mamas of the next generation, in order to help lead our children to heaven, MUST spring to action. We must take seriously the verse found in Matthew 5:16 that says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven."
I am not a news reader or watcher. We don't have cable, I homeschool my two and am a full-time nanny to two others, and, quite frankly, I don't have "free" time to read the news online. Also, it depresses me and I know my limits for triggering anxiety. However, these past few weeks it has been virtually impossible to avoid the onslaught of media coverage of the election! A big problem is that the media is so visual...and tangible...and in our faces!! We must, as Christians, make sure that GOD'S word is equally tangible to our children! It should ever be "in our faces" (and in our hearts, and in our minds... Deuteronomy 6). This morning it hit me that parenting in today's social climate is (and will continue to be) a job of epic proportions! For instance...
1. How do I teach my child that lying is wrong when both of the front-running presidential hopefuls are well-documented and celebrated for blatant lying, deceit, or "forgetting?"
First of all, a better question is how can I NOT teach this to my child!!!
Scripture tells us that, from the beginning, Satan has been using lies to sway God's children. (Gen. 3:4 "Thou shalt not die.") He is the father of ALL lies. John 8:44 There are countless admonitions to God's people to be truthful, honest, and not deceptive, yet daily we see celebrations of false witnesses, liars, deceivers. They are called "crafty," "clever," or "sly," and almost lauded for their "talents" at speaking untruths and covering it up. God, however, speaks harshly against such people and reminds us that all will have their place in the lake of fire (Rev 21:7). We must be careful to protect our little ones' hearts (and our own!) from the poisonous lying going on around us!
To combat lying, you could share the following stories!!
Creation and Eve's deception/sin
Ananais and Sapphira
My 8 year old said Daniel - the other nobles "deceived" King Darius
Abraham and Sarah
Joseph (his brothers; Potiphar's wife)
The young prophet and the old prophet
2. How do I teach my child God's ideal plan for marriage when society claims it can be anyone who "loves" each other? Or teaches that marriage is "optional" for moms, dads, etc.?
God is so so SO clear about His plan for marriage! From the beginning, He lays out His plan for families, the hierarchy of authority, etc. Over and Over God teaches us that ONLY if we follow the "one man, one woman, for life" plan are we blessed by Him in our families. We owe it to ourselves and to our children to speak up for this plan for the family and to strive to teach others about it as well (in love).
To combat the false teachings about family in society, the Bible is full of information!! Share these stories with your kiddos (age appropriately, obviously!)
Sodom and Gomorrah
David & Bathsheba (*extramarital fornication)
David's family reaps the consequences of fornication multiple times...
Noah and his daughters
Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar (while I KNOW that the focus of this story isn't on there being multiple wives, it can teach us some about that as well! So can Rachel & Leah).
To show God's pattern for marriage...
Adam and Eve
Ephesians 5
Matthew 19
and the list goes on and on. If your children are old enough, you could tackle the AP book about God loving Michael's two daddies. There are so many Scriptures to teach this. Don't just accept that it is the time we live in to accept these things!! I always have told my kiddos they want to grow up to marry a Christian...it is so sad that I have to specify to my son that it must be a Christian WOMAN and to my daughter that it is a Christian MAN. That should just be understood without saying. But it's not. So say it!!
3. How do I tell my children to respect authority and government when that very government is so corrupt, dishonest, and, to be honest, in many ways, DANGEROUS?
Remember the governments available throughout the Bible. Yet, God still commanded His people to respect the government and to honor God in doing so. God will take care of His people when they are obedient.
Stories: Noah, Joseph, apostles and other NT Christians, Jesus
4. How do I tell my children to treat others as you want to be treated when the main characters in our news and society treat each other like garbage?
Remember that we are to be different, called out, peculiar!! If being nice to others doesn't make us "peculiar," I am not sure what does!! :) Teach it! Show it!! DO it!!!
Stories: Good Samaritan, Ruth, Dorcas, JESUS
5. How do I teach my children to value life - theirs and others'- when those in public view have full disdain for the sanctity of life??
Remind them that God doesn't make "junk."
Point out all the verses that show that life begins in the womb (You knit me inside my mother's womb, I am fearfully and wonderfully made, Elizabeth's baby leapt in her womb, Jacob and Esau struggled in the womb, etc."
Tell stories of Hannah, Rachel, and others who longed for babies and rejoiced when their wombs were opened. Show them the joy of human life! Tell them about when THEY were in the womb and things you felt or learned or thought or prayed or hoped for them!!
While there are so many other lessons we could discuss in the tempestuous climate, these hit me hard this morning as I sat watching my sick child rest on the couch. Take heart, Mamas! Timothy most certainly lived in a difficult political climate, but his mother and grandmother were able to instill God's word in him in such a way as to make it "stick" and to combat the social influences of the time. We CAN do this. We MUST do this. Eternity depends on it!! May God bless you as you train these sweet blessings and aim your arrows towards heaven.
