Parents, you know how strong the messaging of the world is. Our kids, through all that the media is throwing at them, are being groomed to fulfill their desires (whatever they may be), praise sinful living, and live for the here and now. Make no mistake about it, your kids are being groomed by the world, and as parents that should move us to action.
One of the goals of the Biblical parent is to continually shepherd their kids towards living differently from the world (I wrote about that from a different angle here). More than just in behavior, this has to be a mindset or a worldview that puts this world, and the next, in the right place. This is a challenge for parents because the messaging of the world is everywhere. When this messaging is left unchallenged, it becomes consuming. This should concern the Biblical parent because it impacts how they shepherd their kids.
Paul warned the Philippians (Phil. 3:17-21) about counterfeit Christianity vs. the real deal. Many in the Philippian church community looked religious but were actually “enemies of the cross of Christ”. Paul said they could be known. How?
- What they desire (“their god is their belly”)
- Whom they praise (“they glory in their shame”)
- Where their focus is (“minds set on earthly things”)
The believer is to live radically differently! This should be seen in:
- What we desire (“who will transform our lowly body to a glorious body”)
- Whom we praise (“we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus”)
- Where our focus is (“our citizenship is in heaven”)
How should this impact us as parents?
What Our Kids Desire
The false Christians were either focused on the need for following Old Testament dietary restrictions to find favor with God, or they were constantly looking to have their fleshly desires satisfied. Either way – their focus was on their earthly bodies.
For the believer, we should be taking care of our bodies now, but we are not consumed with our bodies now. We should steward our bodies well, but it can be very easy, especially with tweens, teens, and college students, for it to become a fixation.
Parents, continue to reinforce the vast difference in importance of the inside, not the outside. Resist the temptation to praise appearance at the impairment of their character. This is especially true for young ladies:
“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”
1 Peter 3:3-4
What Our Kids Praise
For the most part, this culture praises all the things the Bible does not. The culture praises wealth, popularity, social media influencers, and the like. This can become very consuming for your tweens, teens, and college students. The way up is to be recognized and adored.
This is not the way for the follower of Jesus – who had incredible influence but never pursued popularity. He tried to squash popular uprisings in his favor for almost the entirety of his ministry. Jesus said that in our good deeds, giving, and prayer we should have an attitude of anonymity (Matthew 6:1-4).
Parents, continue to encourage influence vs. popularity. Influence is about others and popularity is about you. You can be popular but have little influence, and you can have incredible influence, and the masses have no clue who you are. Encourage your kids to go deep in their conversations with others at school, making life about others, and looking for open doors to share Christ.
Where Our Kids’ Focus Is
Paul said the false teachers had their minds focused on earthly things, but the believer’s focus is to be heaven. The believer is here waiting patiently for the Lord to return and set up His heavenly kingdom. The world wants your kids to focus on earth and all that this world offers. In their song ‘This World’, Caedmon’s Call appropriately said, “This world has nothing for me, and this world has everything.”
The focus should not be on accumulating wealth, getting into prestigious schools, and landing a job that yields six figures. The focus should first be on God’s will and what he wants for us. Now, in God’s will that could result in wealth, a great degree, and a reputable occupation, but the focus should be first on what God wants for him to achieve his desires.
Parents, continue to encourage your kids to seek the Lord and what He wants first. When discussing relationships, friendships, college decisions, and the like, ask them “What do you think God wants you to do?” That refocuses them on God first, and everything else second (Mt. 6:33). Shepherd your kids towards wanting what God wants, not the world, not even primarily you.
Conclusion
Your kids are being groomed by the world, but by God’s grace, the proactive Biblical parent can counter this by desiring, praising, and focusing on God’s priorities.