I have one son turning ten in two days. My next oldest is 7, and my daughter will be 5 in January. They seem incredibly innocent – all of them. I pray they can continue to grow more mature and more in love with God in such a way that as they face more choices they can choose the best. As I look around it seems many young men and women are finding that more and more difficult to do.
It may just be the media’s focus right now, but I keep seeing stories like this one about the “alarming rates” of lying, cheating, and stealing amongst American teens. And, I have noticed numerous articles on the TV and in the news about teens texting one another nude pictures of themselves (this one is from Utah, a state not known for its debauchery). Moreover, I have heard stories through my older brothers and sisters about things their own teenaged children (or their friends) have experienced or are experiencing. Going to a party and having one’s first drink pales in comparison to much of what seems “normal” to today’s teen.
I was a goody two shoes when i was a teenager; I will admit it. My struggles came later in life. But even for people who weren’t as “prudish” as I may have been, sexual talk wasn’t the main topic of discussion, and immoral behavior, drugs, and alcohol all generally had to be “secret” – as secret as things were in high school. Today, teens openly discuss their exploits on internet social networking. Intoxication is seen as a normal function of having a good time. And cheating has little, if any, negative stigma.
Perhaps I’m just getting older and concerned about my children, but it seems like all of the troubles facing teens today are super-sized compared to the ones I and my peers faced. And, with the advent of technology giving teens very easy and detached ways of communicating, combined with consumerism super-charged by sexual stimulants, easy access to a wide variety of prescription and home-made drugs, and a culture that teaches truth is relative, I fear we’ve created an environment where the saying “anything goes” becomes much more than just a saying. Less Than Zero on steroids, and not just for the urban rich.
If you are a parent, it seems critical to remember that God told the Israelites four times in Deuteronomy to teach their children to love God and His ways and teachings. God doesn’t usually waste His breath repeating things unless they are absolutely essential.
The answer to the truth is relative mantra is that God is unchanging. His ways are True. He is our Father – not just a Father, but a loving Daddy who sings love songs while holding us and longs to quiet us with His love. Romans 8:14-15; Zephaniah 3:17. Jesus is Lord and He absolutely will be our friend and savior as we place our faith in Him. John 15:15. The Holy Spirit is our God-given Comforter, who provides everything we need for life and godliness and who will give us peace when anxiety seems to be the only thing we can feel. John 14. And, God longs to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Malachi 4:6.
We must teach our children these truths, but we can’t teach them unless we know them and live them ourselves. We almost need to pray, desperately, on a daily basis for our children – that they would know and love God with all of their hearts, souls, and minds. Deuteronomy 6:4-9; James 4:2-3.