Please, let’s still freak out, but deal with it correctly. With God. With grace. With love. And protect what we love.
Stand up and be strong. Talk with other men in your church and have a plan. Ask them if they have talked with their kids. Connect with your kids on this. As Josh Mcdowell says,
“Rules without relationship = rebellion.
Relationship without rules = confusion.”
Instead of just giving rules, cultivate a relationship that fosters good communication and trust.
Our kids don’t have the tools to handle the pressure of the media. Do what you can. Take your head out of the sand. (Did you know even Pinterest, sweet little Pinterest, offers porn on their boards?)
Feel free to be wild and crazy and cut off cable. Look at playlists on iPods. Monitor wardrobe choices. Install filters on your computer but remember that kids are very tech savvy. They can get around a lot. A filter will protect your younger kids, but older kids can find ways to access pornography, so this is why you must talk about it together.
Point them to Jesus, so they know He is better. He’s also there when we need forgiveness and grace if we find ourselves in the clutches of pornography.
It’s not just about modifying outward behavior, it’s about God changing hearts. We, as parents, are not so far removed from sin that we can’t sit with our kids in the middle of their struggles and point them to the Cross. Christ paid an enormous price for our lust, and this changes how we view sin. And exposes pornography as dark and evil … something we want to flee from. We must not fall back on good parenting, moral uprightness or following the rules as our game plan.
Tell your kids this: We have to meet sin head on, knowing that we are loved and cherished by God. While we know we should follow Scripture and not fall into sin, we can’t seem to live up to what is expected. Oh, but there is One who did. Jesus. And through faith in Him, you can live without fear and without condemnation.
Attack this issue, but deal with your kids graciously because WOW they live in a tough culture. It’s confusing, and scary. Pornography isn’t tiptoeing around your kids. It’s busting right in and screaming for their attention. Make sure your voice is louder.
About the Author: Michelle Lindsey is a Jesus-loving wife of more than two decades and a homeschooling mom of four who blogs about what happens when romance meets reality (with her adult daughter!) at Nitty Gritty Love. You can find more Nitty Gritty Love on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
