Parenting Up

I sat discussing cultural issues with a long-time friend the other day.

I confessed to her that I had just recently watched part of the Grammy Awards on television. I told her I was sickened by what I saw and that I had turned it off after watching less that 30 minutes (and in an effort to be totally transparent and miles away from a better-than-thou attitude, I should have turn it off 15 seconds into the first performance.)

But it wasn’t until the next morning, as I was scrolling my newsfeed, that I saw graphic pictures from the performances. I felt a sickening feeling come over me.

It has never been more difficult to protect our kids from vulgarity. It has never been more difficult to talk to our kids about purity. It has never been more difficult to shield our kids from sexual perversion. It has never been more difficult to promote biblical marriage. It has never been more difficult to elevate holiness. It has never been more difficult to encourage moral behavior. It has never been more difficult to teach our kid’s good character.

I’m raging mad. It’s been coming for a while now. While we’ve been cooped up for the last year, our kids have been hibernating in their rooms, headphones on, listening to the refuse the world is offering them. Our isolation, our need to live under one roof peaceably and “just get along” with each other and the lack of spiritual influence of the home and church has made our homes breeding ground for filth, vulgarity and sexual expletives that go deep into dark places. But make no mistake—this isn’t a new problem. It’s time to wake up.

I looked up a few of the words I heard on the Grammy Awards during my short viewing time. I challenge every parent who doesn’t know what their kids are listening to, to do the same. I was disgusted. I wonder if there is even a way to reverse the damage our culture is bringing to our innocent children, who may not be so innocent anymore.

It’s time to get your game on. It’s past time to know what is going on. It’s time to let Hollywood know they aren’t raising our kids. We are. It’s time to act like we care. It’s time to worry about how future relationships will be impacted and less worried about how cute it is that our 10-year-old has a steady boyfriend. It’s time to be the parents.

I wish I could say your kids aren’t at risk. But the truth is, every kid is at risk. It really has nothing to do with the music and everything to do with the culture and the “norms” or our society. It’s the stifling of Biblical voices. It’s the mockery of a righteousness. It’s the shaming of our biblical morals and values. It’s the silencing of plastic toys, while two women “scissor” on a world-wide stage. It’s the cushy acceptance of everything at the expense of offending anyone.

I am not saying I have all the answers. Well, actually I am.

I have God’s Word. The pillar. The foundation. The sword. Parents, for now, you have it too. It’s time we educate ourselves in the wise and perfect words of God. Don’t we value what he has to say about our culture, about holiness, about purity? Don’t we care?

My heart is heavy and full of anger towards the sin that has so easily sidetracked parents into thinking we need to give our kids wings without wisdom, space without the Savior and hope without heaven. There is no such thing.

It’s time to parent up. Will you join me, as I quietly step off the pedestal, and kneel at the feet of Jesus with a heart that diligently and humbly wants to save parents and children from the heartache of a ravaged and hungry wolf. Please God help us follow your Word. Help us to be diligent to pursue what is holy for our families.

Titus 2:2-8: Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.