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Killing Time
"The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates." (Psalm 11:5)
One of the most disturbing trends in today’s society is the increasing incidence of kids killing kids. It is frightening to realize that school shootings such as the one at Colorado’s Columbine High School in 1999, where two classmates murdered a teacher and twelve of their peers, have become almost commonplace. Our culture—through television, movies, the Internet, and video games—teaches our kids to get even with or kill those who get in their way.
It’s the same method that the Nazis employed before and during World War II. Recruits were required to perform disturbing tasks systematically until they were no longer shocked or revolted by them. They were desensitized to violence—as are children who observe repeated acts of brutality in the media. That’s why the American Medical Association and other child development authorities recently stated what most of us have understood for a long time: “[The] effects [of violence] in the media are measurable and long-lasting. Moreover, prolonged viewing of media violence can lead to emotional desensitization toward violence in real life.”
Scripture describes our heavenly Father’s feelings on this matter in the strongest terms: “Those who love violence His soul hates” (Psalm 11:5). Don’t wait another day to shield your family from violent images. The stakes are not only your kids’ emotional well-being but their relationship with God Himself.
Questions for Today . . .
- Have your kids been desensitized to violence by the media?
- What can you do to protect them from negative media influences?
Prayer . . .
Lord, I must raise my children in a fallen and violent world. Sensitize my heart and alert me to the darkness that deepens by the day. Show me what You would have me do. Amen.
(Excerpted from Dr. James and Shirley Dobson’s book, Night Light for Parents. Used with permission.)
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About this Plan
With manifestations of sin proliferating on multiple fronts, trying to parent our children can feel all the more daunting. We want to see them cultivate godly living, but the world, sinful desires, and the devil (1 John 2:16) are active and deceptive, undermining our efforts. Let’s think about how we can help our kids become grounded in their faith.
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