I've always heard that parents must remain firm and consistent in disciplining their children. When we aren't firm and consistent, our children can become confused about what is acceptable behavior or what is truly right or wrong.
This idea of being firm and consistent transfers into passing along a Godly legacy. In this I must remain consistent.
When my daughter was a teenager, her father and I were fairly restrictive on what she watched on television and the movies she saw. One day she approached me rather upset because some of her peers had teased her because she hadn't watched a particular TV show. She went on to explain that her friend told her this was a good show and she should try it some time. Because these friends were from the youth group at church, I decided that we would watch an episode together. We lasted about two minutes before I abruptly turned it off. The language and morals portrayed were not appropriate for a Christian of any age.
I have been labeled overly-protective, old-fashioned, and strict by people in my own family, but I cannot allow the world to creep in and desensitize us to God's will. When we watch what the world watches or listen to what the world listens to, we are conforming to the world. The more we engage in what the world offers, the more the lines of Godly discernment blur.
Do you find that others label you strict because you desire to follow God's commands consistently?
2 comments:
You asked, "Do you find that others label you strict because you desire to follow God's commands consistently?"
My answer is YES, all the time! There have even been times when church staff (not their kids) have touted a given entertainment and mocked anyone 'too prudish' to allow their kids to see it. At our house, nobody of ANY age watches rated R or most PG-13 movies, for example, and that means our kids have 'missed out on' several popular movies aimed at their age group. However, they have also 'missed out on' the vulgarity, the crass humor, and the inappropriate physical relationships described or shown. I hope they 'miss out' on those things all their lives.
Honestly, that's the saddest thing of all for me - to have those fellow Christians be the ones not backing me up. Makes it difficult to hear: "But so and so's mom lets her watch it and they are Christians." Ugh! That always unleashed the "not everyone holds to the convictions we do" speech.
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