Parenting Points
The year 2020 has come with much news that points to the deep brokenness of the world. The growing death toll of Coronavirus, the senseless murder of George Floyd, racial unrest in our nation, and whatever other trouble fills the headlines of the local news all create discussions that we must have with our children. However, these conversations can be difficult to address.
We cannot simply hide our kids from the headlines, yet our engagement with these topics will vary based on the age and stage of our kids. As we begin to approach difficult topics in our world with our children, we remember the words of Jesus in John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Comfort Your Kids in the Peace of Jesus. Jesus brings us peace in the middle of the storms around us. In the uncertainty and brokenness around us, Jesus comes to be peace. He also sends us out as agents of His peace in a world that is divided and broken. Encourage your kids that peace comes from Jesus and that we get to extend His peace to others.
Give Your Kids a Realistic Picture of the World. The world is desperately broken by sin. Things are not the way they were meant to be. Troubles, hardships, and brokenness will come. As Christians, we should not be surprised when they do. We must give our kids realistic expectations of the world that we are raising them to live in.
Encourage Your Kids to Look to Jesus as Their Hope. Jesus is the one who has overcome evil, brokenness, division, and sin. He will return to put the broken pieces of our world back together. Jesus is in the business of making all things new. We must encourage our kids that Jesus has already written the end of the story. We can have hope and encouragement in Him.
Though we may want to turn off the TV and mute the troubles around us, as Christians we are called to see the world through the eyes of Jesus while finding our family’s peace, expectations of the world, and hope for eternity in Him.
-Dr. Ben Birdsong
Writer, Speaker, Minister
