“Many parents, when faced with a truth that is difficult to communicate, will gladly remain quiet to avoid the conversation.”
In life there are certain topics that are difficult to talk about with your children. I get it! When they do come up it is often at awkward times or in circumstances that just make deep conversations inconvenient. Since when is parenting supposed to be convenient!
I’m thankful that years ago our country had a culture that encouraged morality. We were a people that appreciated the value of family and lifted up the foundations of good government. Many look back at that time and long for the ‘good old days’ of the past.
News Flash…your children are not growing up in the same America that you knew as a child!
Good old ‘Merica has loosed from its moorings and is being swept down the river of a secular worldview. Things have changed and are changing rapidly in the culture around us. That doesn’t mean that our God or His Truth is changing, but it does mean that we have to work hard to teach our children about how God’s Truth guides us through a culture that is antagonistic to Biblical beliefs.
The Bubble Option
Raising your children in a worldview bubble is an option. It is not a good option, though. Many children grow up learning the ‘what’ of their belief system. They know ‘what’ they believe through constant teaching, training, and exposure to God’s Word. Knowing the ‘what’ is only foundational, however, to knowing the ‘why’ of your Biblical faith.
Knowing the ‘what’ allows your children to stand on Biblical facts and Truth. If
they understand the ‘why’ it allows them to take those truths and apply them to areas of culture that are quickly changing. This demands that you teach and practice discernment with your children. This demands that you discuss areas of culture that might be uncomfortable to discuss but are fast becoming bedrock issues within our culture.
You Must Choose to Influence!
If you aren’t guiding your kids through these worldview issues, their only influence will come from the secular culture around them. I promise you, it won’t turn out well if that’s the case!
1. Biblical Marriage
In case you have had your head in the sand, the definition of marriage in our culture is in constant flux. Your children are growing up in a world where the Biblical definition of marriage is becoming obsolete and even offensive to some.
Teach your kids what marriage is and help them see why other forms of ‘marriage’ are unBiblical. Teach them why marriage was designed by God between one man and one woman for life. Demonstrate to them how other forms of marriage are detrimental to society as a whole and why our culture wants to push us there.
2. Transgender Issues
As foundational to the home as marriage is, the Truth that God created sexual/gender differences within humanity is also as foundational. I would have never guessed that in the past 10 years the issues surrounding gender would have exploded within our cultural conversation.
Bathroom issues, locker room issues, parenting issues, athletic issues…these are issues your children are facing right now in their culture due to the transgender confusion!!!
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3. The Value of Human Life
I realize that the abortion debate has been on the national stage for many years, but the implications of life’s value continues to be challenged in our culture in major ways. You may not be aware of this, but ‘euthanasia’, or ‘mercy killings’ as they are often called, are on the rise globally and their popularity in the states is growing.
Did you know that doctor assisted suicide is already legal in five states plus DC? (CA, CO, OR, VT, and WA) This ‘Dignity in Dying’ movement is here to stay and your children will confront this issue someway in the near future.
www.gallup.com
4. Socialism
While this ‘political’ movement is not new by any stretch, it is experiencing a renewal of interest due to the secular humanistic worldview of our culture. In an article written in March of 2017, it is said that 40% of Americans prefer socialism as the preferred form of government. (National Review) Like it or not, culture is pushing socialism onto your children at every corner.
Your children must understand the Biblical purpose of government and then be able to apply those principles to evaluate political structures. Does this conversation scare you? If it does, then you probably represent the majority of Christian parents who might tell their children that it is wrong but never explain ‘why’. Don’t be that parent!!
5. Moral Absolutes
6. Religious Freedom
7. Religous/Political Tolerance
8. Social Drug Use
9. Abortion
10. Immigration
11. Capital Punishment
This list could go on for pages!
Christian parents, you must engage with your children and teach them to Biblically discern the issues within our culture. If you keep them in a bubble, when someone comes along and asks a question that challenges their faith and that bubble pops, they will be left defenseless.
Prepare them in advance by teaching them Biblical discernment!
DJHarry Isaiah 64:8 We are the clay