Whatever!

My heart is stirred by these words. As I sit and consider the things I spend my time thinking about, pondering, dwelling on.  Is God pleased? Is He comfortable in my thoughts?

As I examine my own heart, I also have to question myself regarding my children. What do I allow and encourage THEM to dwell on? What do I permit them to listen to or to watch?

Matthew 6:22 says “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.”

As a mother I have to ask the question, am I being the covering for their minds that God has called me to be? Am I being a blinder for their eyes when it’s necessary? The minds of our children can either be a place where the Holy Spirit resides, or they can be a play ground for the devil and his schemes. What they see, hear and ponder as children will take root and grow with them into adulthood. What type of seeds are being planted?

We hear a lot of talk in Christian circles about shaping our children’s hearts, their characters, their wills. How often do we talk about protecting their minds? You see, what goes into the mind will ultimately affect their hearts, which in turn will affect their wills, which leads to the shaping of their characters.

When are we going to fully grasp that the culture of our day seeks to steal our children, not only from us, but from God.

My heart is saddened by what is being allowed and invited into Christian homes all over our nation. The movies we watch, the music we allow, the internet access that’s given so freely. Parents now decide if their children should watch a movie based on how many curse words it has. “It only has 3 or 4 bad words.” they say “It’s not TOO bad!!” – Are you kidding me?

What offends God should offend us! When His most precious name is cursed and taken in vain, it should repulse us. It should cause us to become angry. It should affect us so deeply that we are unable to watch, listen to, or look at those things.

Remember, the eyes are the lamp of the body! When light enters, light dwells. When darkness enters, darkness dwells. What fellowship can light have with darkness? NONE! With each curse word, inappropriate picture and act of violence our children are exposed to, pieces of their hearts are being torn away, and a new seeds are being planted.

Moms, I beg of you. Do not be complacent. Be a guard for the hearts and minds of your children. Just as Noah built an ark to shield his family from judgment, we should also be making a safe place out of our homes; an ‘ark’ so to speak. If we are not willing to step up, be proactive and be a shield for their eyes and minds, then we should not be surprised when our child walks away from the God we raised them to serve. It doesn’t happen overnight. The seeds that are planted in childhood will grow into weeds, and eventually choke out their faith, right under your nose.

As mothers we can show our children the value of dwelling on righteous things. Things that are true, lovely, noble, right, praiseworthy and excellent. Those good seeds planted in our own, and our children’s hearts will produce good fruit, sweet fruit, fruit that will last.

“Lord, help us to use wisdom when influencing our children. Help us to be a guard for their minds and a protector for their souls. Amen.”