What is a parent to do about all of the negative imagery splashed around in society? It’s almost impossible to go anywhere without having some form of immorality shoved into our face. Negative immoral garbage is everywhere! It’s scary when you think about how after a while of your children seeing the same sexual innuendos over and over it begins to form a part of their thoughts and beliefs. And that is where the problem begins.
Think about what negative immoral images have been ingrained into your child’s mind? Can negative images make them think negatively about themselves? Yes! Young girls have been taught from society that what is seen on the outside is basically the only thing that matters and that being only half dressed is appealing and that if you want to be “something” you need to look a certain way, dress a certain way and behave a certain way. How can a parent counter such an alluring suggestion from the world? Simple, don’t be that way yourself. Teach principles by God’s standards and not worldly standards.
And this is where the teenage boy comes into the picture. He is only seeing what is on the outside of females and finds it difficult to understand, respect and value what is on the inside. Even church leaders have gotten themselves ensnared within the sexual lusts of society? What kind of a picture does that tell your children? What is going on when so-called men of God can’t keep spiritually fit? It is a vicious cycle that you should not even be a part of.
Here is a common scenario: Your fifteen-year old son is checking his email when pornography spam accidentally makes its way into his inbox. The subject line: “See Britney Spears Naked”. What is your son going to do? Will he click on it? The only way he is NOT going to click on it is if you, the parent have been teaching your son self-respect and proper morals in life since he was a boy. Young boys need to understand how to value and respect women because most young girls and women can be respected and valued. When a male child has been taught to respect females, and if he has been brought up with the standards taught by God he won’t click on that email, it is that simple.
We cannot stop being parents just because a select few have rebelled against their Creator. What parents can do is continually keep their children alive in Christ Jesus where righteousness and real love abounds. Don’t allow your family to drift away into the ways of society because once you do that, lives will be difficult to restore. Outside of the foundations of God young impressionable minds will be tempted, but the fact is, if they have been brought up with proper moral guidelines to begin with, they will have a better chance of staying within the bounds of who they are – children of God.
For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:16-17