Convictions in a Crazy World

“In the absence of Biblical convictions, people go the way of culture.”--Sally Clarkson

Navigating against the tide of middle school influences is an ebb and flow of conversations, criticisms, and critiques.  I sit here and think there are so many things working against us each day: television, film, technology, books, and even friends and family.  It has often been lonely this year to stand for what we believe is right. If it hadn't been for all of us in this household, standing together, I may have wavered. There have been times we second guessed allowing a tween to do something they have asked because we're not sure the difference between protective and over-protective.  

I have read more tween literature than I probably did when I was this age. . .to check it out, act as a buffer, decide whether it's too much too soon, because didn't you know?  So and so has already read that!  And it IS in the school library, so it must be age appropriate...  Yeah, right!

This parenting gig is not for the faint of heart...

Being set apart, having high ideals for our children's behavior and character, not wanting to expose them to too much too soon is a battle being waged daily: the radio station they listen to, not being allowed to use social media, allowing some freedoms but with a very limited number of people in which we know their families.  It is HARD!  And trust me when I say, we get tired.  Instructing our kids day in and day out is draining and exhausting!  We yell and get frustrated, but we also have learned to ask for forgiveness and make things right before we go to bed.  It has been such a dance between holding on and letting go, all the while wondering if we have modeled and trained in a love-filled, grace-filled way.  I don't know.  I hope so, but hope is all I have to rely on some days.

I want my kids to further His kingdom.  I want them to desire to serve Him, to find their passion and use it for good.  I want them to have their own individual relationships with God because it's what they come to want, not because it's all we have ever wanted for them.  I think some people say they want their kids to love God and do good, but then they don't do the necessary work to instill excellent character traits in them.  Kids need to learn it at home first because so much of the world is working to undo their convictions.  There is a battle being waged on our children's hearts and we must fight for them.  We must protect them from too much too soon.  We must teach them what it means to be humble, trustworthy, honest, and faithful.  Our actions, our words, our ways are constantly ushering the way into who they will become. And even if we do all things right, there is no guarantee they will walk the road we would like them to, being the type of people we had trained them to be, living a life of service that we had hoped for them.  And in those instances, we pray God uses it all for His good and we hold on to hope.  

This raising of kingdom kids in a world that is so dark and full of trouble is hard.  But God's call on our lives as parents, is to be in it for the long haul--to do the work we were sent here to do.  It is our responsibility to turn away from contemporary culture's allure to live a life filled with honor, service, love, kindness, and respect.  My prayer for my children is that they will hold tight to their biblical convictions and take a stand to be who God created them to be in a culture that is screaming something different. 

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."--John 16:33