Is Banning Books and Blasting Educators the Best Way to Bring Change?

 As I've been praying almost daily for revival, a section on my prayer list for families has stirred a longing for the kind of Christian parenting that I believe God wants for his people. I'm a grandmother now, so I'm not directly training kids, but I've had thoughts about the current political debates about banning books and requiring school professionals to post their lesson series online. There are some who would even limit what teachers can teach or say in the classroom. Besides the moral aspects of this, the restriction on free speech for teachers is very concerning. The profession was already languishing because of low salaries and education requirements that are an increasing burden on teachers. 

What if Christian parents would begin finding or creating curriculum to teach their kids truth and Biblical world view from home? What if they had an open relationship with their children where questions were allowed and kids knew they could discuss things they heard in school with their parents, without parents becoming angry and placing all the blame on educators? What if parents created these kinds of spaces so they could discuss with their kids, why certain books in the library are not good for them to read? What if instead of marching into school board meetings to demand a voice and a change, they would sit down and talk to teachers and hear their concerns and intentions for the kids? Doesn't the best change come when wisdom is applied?

"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. Then it is peace-loving and courteous. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others; it is full of mercy and good deeds. It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere." James 3:17 LB

Christian parents should be setting an example of how to love others who disagree with us. Instead of being motivated by fear for their child's future or that they will be led astray from Biblical principles, or that they need to be protected from the current culture, they can be demonstrating how to defend their faith (in love) and how to prepare their children for such times as these, as God prepared Esther or Daniel in the Bible. 

Randy Alcorn's blog recently confirmed some of what I've been sensing. The blog was titled: Don't Feel Sorry for or Fear for Your Kids; Raise Them up to Walk in Faith. Randy posted an article by this title written by Alex Cravens, a dad and youth pastor from Russellville, Arkansas. I'd like to pull out some quotes from that article.

"Don’t feel sorry for or fear for your kids because the world they are going to grow up in is not what it used to be. God created them and called them for the exact moment in time that they’re in. Teach them to walk in faith knowing that God is in control. Empower them to know they can change the world. Don’t teach them to be fearful and disheartened by the state of the world but hopeful that they can do something about it. Don’t be scared for your children but be honored that God chose you to parent the generation that is facing the biggest challenges of our lifetime. Don’t let your fear steal the greatness God placed in them. I know it’s hard to imagine them as anything besides our sweet little babies, and we just want to protect them from anything that could ever be hard on them, but they were born for such a time as this."

I'll keep praying for God to raise up a generation that seeks him and is willing to follow him no matter the cost. That more 12-year-olds will long to "be about their Father's business."

How Are Ukraine, Centrifuge and Covid Related?

 Christian Union ministries has published a book of devotions and prayers for the Lenten season. I was introduced to CU last year as I looked for material on praying for revival. I have found their revival prayer points very helpful in praying for God's Spirit to bring a fresh move on His church in America and on our country.

Day 2 of the devotional compared some of the upset and trials our country has endured through Covid, political dissention, racial tension, and now an uncalled-for war in Ukraine, as a holy centrifuge. "A centrifuge is a rapidly spinning machine whose centrifugal force separates liquids and slings things into a new position and even a new physical state." Could it be that God is spinning and separating out the dross in his people to reposition us for the work he is calling us to? The process is painful, and many have felt the stress and the tearing apart. 

I'm copying from the meditation because I can't say it better:

"When all else is stripped away, we find that our Stronghold still stands! Without a strong storm, one would never know the strength of their structures, without a threatening surge of water, one would never know the strength of the dam. The more our Stronghold is tested, the more we learn of His absolutely unfailing strength and watchcare over His people. Evildoers and adversaries don’t stand a chance against the jealous God of the elect...God will not be mocked by evildoers, assailants, or even plagues."

We see the strength of Ukrainian spirits in the midst of a very strong storm, the beauty of those created in God's image caring for one another with courage and compassion, and the sacrifice and love poured out on the needy by God's family, for one another, and for their neighbors. We believe that evildoers behind this war don't stand a chance against our mighty God who is working out His purposes on this earth. God will not be mocked; evil forces will reap what they sow.

Lord, spin out of me anything offensive to you and may what remains be a new passion for you, for the church and for the world. Mobilize your church here in America to work with your Spirit in prayer for revival and in repentance that keeps us humbly dependent on you.

What About Your Fruit?

 I'm participating in a Bible Study that uses Beth Moore's book, Chasing Vines. Christians are to bear fruit that show God's work and presence in our lives. The Bible lists the fruit of God's Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23--love, joy, peace. patience, gentleness, goodness, kindness, faith and self-control. Beth asks us to consider what kind of fruit have we seen developed in our lives, in our family or in our church, according to this equation: 

_______+ TIME=_______ Fruit. 

This was an interesting exercise for me. I'll share some equations I filled out.

Legalism +TIME= Underdeveloped, wormy fruit

Fear + TIME= Blossoms that fall off

Prejudice +TIME= Misshapen fruit

Judgment of Others + TIME= Inability-to-ripen fruit

Pride +TIME= Pretty fruit with a rotten core

Anger + TIME = Bitter fruit

Humility + TIME= Sweet fruit

Love + TIME =Perfect fruit

Joy + TIME= Shiny fruit

Peace + TIME =Smooth fruit

Patience = TIME = Perfectly ripened fruit

Gentleness + TIME =Unbruised fruit

Goodness + TIME= Luscious fruit

Kindness + TIME= Bumper crop fruit

Faith + TIME= Everbearing fruit

Self-Control + TIME= Mature fruit

We need to inspect our fruit. Seeing the fruit through God's eyes will allow us to discern its condition.

"We can distinguish between pride and confidence, between self-abasement and humility, between contentiousness and healthy confrontation." Moore.

May God give us eyes to see and to know how to change, either our gardening methods or the soil we're drawing nutrients from. We can pick off and throw out the bad fruit and study how to plan for better results next season.