Based on comments I have heard over the years, one of the worst things you can possibly do as a parent is sheltering your kids. Apparently sheltering your kids is very close to child abuse. The result of this abuse, experts say, is that those children will grow into adults who are complete weirdos that can’t function in society.
For a while now, I have been walking the line of crazy by defending the sheltering of children. Definitions are probably helpful at this point. What does it mean to shelter your kids? If it means locking them in a room and never letting them outside, then I agree, that is evil. If sheltering your kids means never letting your kids ride a bike, jump out of a tree, shoot a bb gun, or never letting them play with other kids, that’s bad too. If it means never telling them about other worldviews and the sins of mankind, well then, I agree, that is wrong. But that’s not what most people mean by sheltering your children.
From what I can gather, I am committing a borderline mortal sin by not wanting my children to be taught homosexual history by way of state-mandated curriculum. I want to shelter them from that. But that is not all I want to shelter my children from. I don’t want someone else teaching my children about heterosexual history or anything about sex for that matter. It gets worse. I don’t want my children exposed to anything that comes from a worldview that is not Biblical without me there to correct it and guide them. In short, I want to shelter my children from things that are harmful to them. Duh!
Jordan and I are taking responsibility for the education and training of our children. We are sheltering them from much of what is outside their little world. But why would I want to shelter my children from the world? The Apostle John speaks with clarity about the danger that is out there: “Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” 1 John 2:15-16. I want to protect my children until they are trained and ready to take the world for the Glory of Jesus! They are not yet ready to walk into a worldview that hates God without me. I won’t pretend like they are. Neither should you. It is foolish and harmful to send children to the front lines of battle! That’s for the men! The kids are to be protected, or I guess I should say, sheltered.
Friends, God has entrusted us with children. If we won’t shelter children from the world we are willingly giving them up to the world. Make no mistake, the World has its evangelists. They are very loud and very convincing! But God gives us another way: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (this is the first commandment with a promise), that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” We get to give them God’s law, give them God’s gospel, and then train them for battle! That is our call! Discipline them. Shelter them. Build them up until they walk out of our homes as trained warriors!
We should blow up a narrative that says “Sheltering your kids is bad.” It’s not wrong to shelter your kids. It’s holy. It’s basic. And it should be encouraged. Don’t throw your kids to wolves and call it virtuous. Fight for them by protecting them!
Leave a Reply