A Christian’s Response To Current Events

My silence here of late is not the result of my having nothing to say.  If anything, I have too much to say. 

It’s also not a lack of time that keeps my fingers off the keyboard.  I’ve actually abandoned one unfinished post after another.

The truth is, I’ve been struggling with how to blog about light-hearted things when I feel so deeply burdened for our children and our country.  

And since this isn’t a political blog, I’ve not felt the freedom to share what’s on my heart.

Yet, here I sit, unable it would seem, to move on until I actually talk about what keeps me up at night. 

Come swim with me in the deep end for a few minutes…

* * *

I freely admit that I am conservative wife and mom.  I believe in moral absolutes, personal responsibility, and the sanctity of truth and life.  Those core beliefs set me and our family apart mainstream America.

I’m speechless and heartsick over what I see in the news.  The tragedy in Libya.  Politicians who underestimate our intelligence.  And a mainstream media which doesn’t even pretend to be objective anymore.

I’m even more distressed over the stories my children bring home about conversations with friends.   Sadly, many adolescents are disconnected and uninformed about issues that will have a critical impact on their futures.

Adding to their confusion, each day, classes at the middle and high school levels tune in to “Channel One News” for “perspective” on current events.   This media outlet, which is designed for children, slants its coverage so far to the left that my boys tell me it’s hard not to laugh out loud at what (and how) things are covered.  Yet, few of their friends see the obvious bias.

Classics in literature are being dropped from school reading lists to make room for modern books with edgy content.  A recent selection my ninth grader was required to read promoted alternate lifestyles.

I could go on and on with evidence of a political agenda being forced on our children in their classrooms.    And it awakens the mama bear in me.

We as parents are incredibly naive if we don’t believe there is a battle going on for the hearts and minds of our children.   The bias against morality and responsibility is everywhere. 

Many would have our children believe that Christianity and moral values are outdated and irrelevant.  And that conservatives who stand by such values are bigoted and hateful.

It is a constant struggle not to feel discouraged and defeated.  And yet, God is still on the throne and prayer changes things.   

And here is where God has ignited a passion inside of me.  It  has to do with what we as parents must do.  

• Pray!  Pray a whole lot more!  Pray for our children, and our grandchildren.  Pray for our leaders.  Pray for truth to be revealed and lies to be uncovered.  Pray for Israel.  Pray for wisdom.  And most of all, pray for God’s mercy.  We need it.

 

• Simplify.  Free up the calendar to spend MORE time with the children and grandchildren.  Be available.  Put down the cell phone.  Listen to them.  Help them filter what they take in against the fabric of Truth in God’s Word.  The most important thing we can give them is a solid foundation and a moral compass.  

 

• Stand.  Stand up for our Savior and the values He lived.  Include Him in our conversations with friends, neighbors, and acquaintances--even when ridicule seems likely.   And stand up for truth.  When we do, we give courage to others, including our children, to do the same.     

 

• Vote.  I’ve heard some say there isn’t a good choice.  I beg to differ.    When we choose a president, we are not choosing a spiritual leader.  Our Local Pastors serve in that role.  Instead, we are choosing someone to lead our country and protect its people, including those still in the womb.  If it isn’t clear, PRAY about it.  Pray for direction.  Then go and vote.

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.

1 Timothy 2:1-4

The Message (MSG)  Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson