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No Vile Thing
Whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure…think about such things.
Philippians 4:8
A father was watching television with his thirteen-year-old daughter. In attempting to accommodate her, they selected a drama that was popular with teenagers. The dad was shocked by what he saw and heard, but he tried hard not to turn their time of “togetherness” into a parental lecture. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. “Honey,” he said, “I just can’t sit here and let this trash come into our home. This is awful. We’re going to have to watch something else.” To his surprise, his daughter said, “I wondered when you would finally turn it off, Dad. That program is terrible.”
Our children may resist our efforts to screen out the filth that permeates their world, but they know it’s right to do so. They will respect us for saying, “God gave us this home, and we’re not going to insult Him by polluting it with foul programming.” However, in order to make this judgment, you have to be watching with your children when a program comes on. You also have to keep TVs and computers out of your kids’ bedrooms, where it’s impossible to monitor what’s being seen.
It’s not a bad idea to unplug your TVs and computers altogether when your kids are young—but if you do have these devices in your home, we suggest you base your viewing policy on the words of the psalmist: “I will set before my eyes no vile thing” (Psalm 101:3).
Before you say good night . . .
- Do you truly know—and endorse—what your kids are watching?
- Do you have the courage and wisdom to protect your home from “vile things”?
Spirit of God, stir us to vigilance! Forgive us for allowing influences into our home that warp attitudes and rob innocence from our precious children. Help us to take whatever action we need to take to protect our little ones. Amen.
Excerpted from Night Light for Parents, used with permission.
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ . . . (2 Cor. 10:5, ESV)
Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. (1 Pet. 2:16, ESV)
About this Plan
With manifestations of sin proliferating on multiple fronts (e.g., images, messages, policies, and practices), challenges to parenting our children can feel all the more daunting. We want to see them cultivate godly living, but the world, the flesh, and the devil (1 Jn. 2:16) are active and deceptive – as if bent on undermining our efforts! Let’s think about ways we can help our kids become and remain rooted in faith.
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