This post is a letter from a mother to her son. My son. Parenting is hard. It’s especially hard when there are so many things coming against us and our children. Benjamin wanted to go see a movie with his friends. He had been told “no” before, many times, and just once I wanted to let him. But I couldn’t. After reading the review of the content of the movie, I knew it wasn’t right that he see it. I poured my heart out to him, praying he would receive it. Even it he didn’t, I have to remain obedient to protect my child from the traps of the enemy. This is what the Lord put on my heart to share…
Dear Benjamin,
You’re 12 years old, nearing 13. I’m honored to be your mom in this pivotal time in your adolescence. You show a maturity that is beyond your years, and a true desire to honor God. A mom could ask for nothing more.
There is a harsh reality that I have to accept knowing you are growing up in a Godless world. We’re seeing violence in droves, weakness instead of strength in our country, and everyone determining for themselves what is right and wrong-if any such thing even exists in the minds of Americans. Integrity and honor are hard to find, and one reason, I truly believe, are the things that fills our movie, television and computer screens. Anything goes, anything is allowed. There is no moral standard by which a person is expected and encouraged to live. In the name of entertainment, people view things on screens which pollute our minds and hearts and pull us away from a Righteous and Holy God. I’d call it a numbing. It numbs our hearts and it numbs our minds.
It’s very hard to stand for what is right, every single day, and some days it’s truly harder than others. But with integrity comes honor. You will be honored by the Lord when you walk with integrity (Psalm 84:11). We are told that before honor comes humility. (Proverbs 18:12) The pride of our hearts wants to put ourselves first. Humility is the opposite of that.
We have raised you to think for yourself. It’s a process in which we have to let you go a little more every single day until the time comes that you will no longer live under the rules of, us, your parents. On that day, you will make your own decisions, decisions that I pray are in reverent fear of God. But today, we have the responsibility to guide you through your young life. I know you feel old enough and mature enough to make your own decisions. But until you’re old enough to provide for all of your basic needs by the sweat of your own brow, you will remain under our authority.
The very first Psalms is a road map for a life that will be blessed by God. Do you want to know what it says? It says that the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the seat of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, that man will be blessed. What does that mean? Don’t find yourself walking where you should not go, standing where you shouldn’t stand, sitting where you shouldn’t sit. The person who does has compromised his integrity. First he was walking, then he stops and is standing, and eventually he makes himself very comfortable to sit and stay awhile in a place he never should have been to begin with, amongst those who are lost and dying and in sin. We have been commissioned by our Savior to be His light to our lost world. Jesus sat with sinners. But do you know what he didn’t do? He didn’t partake in their sin.
I know you find it very hard to understand why you aren’t allowed to play some of the video games your friends play, and to watch movies and shows that your friends see. I understand your feelings of being denied what all the kids around you get to do. But I pray through the obedience of your parents to what the Lord has asked of us, you will see the love Jesus has for you by desiring to keep your mind pure. We are told in God’s word to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. Do those things you desire to watch fit into this category?
“Oh, but mom,” I can hear you say, “there is only a little bad stuff. There’s just that one scene. It’s not like I’m going to do those things too.” But those things are like pollution in your mind and your heart. If you’re thinking on those things, you’re not thinking on the things instructed by God; things that are pure, right and lovely. If I made you brownies one day, yummy chocolate brownies, you would be so happy to take your first bite. Just as you were ready to sink your teeth into the scrumptious morsel, I remembered to tell you something. “Oh, by the way, I didn’t have all the ingredients I needed; I ran out of cocoa.” “Ran out of cocoa, then why do they look chocolatey?” you ask. I continued, “well, I went into the backyard and found some dog poop. I only used a little, just enough to complete the measurement I needed.” Would you want the brownie anymore? Of course you wouldn’t. That’s gross! Then why do you think that just a little pollution is ok for your mind and heart? It’s not. If the dog poop is present in those things we watch, baked right into the brownie so that you hardly notice, your dirtying your mind and heart, sometimes without even knowing it.
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.” Psalm 119:9 NIV
My prayer is that you will desire to please God with your whole heart. That you will love Him with everything that is inside of you so that when you are face to face with decisions that you can make for either your own good, or your own destruction, you will choose to honor Jesus every time. His instruction is for our benefit, because He knows so much more than we know. He can be trusted.
Love, Mom
