Protecting & Preparing Our Children

Exhortation | Lord's Day—April 6, AD 2025

As parents, you are given by God the great honor and duty of raising up little children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, so that they would grow into mature disciples of Christ. This has always been a challenging task, but in our sexually depraved and confused culture, it has become all the more difficult to both protect your children’s innocence while also teaching them to be wise as serpents.  

This is something our Lord cares deeply about, for He once said that those who cause little ones to stumble would be better off thrown into the sea with a millstone around their neck. In fact, Jesus says in that same passage that God so cares for children that His heavenly angels, who are ever before His face, even take notice of them (Mt. 18). And so we must imitate our Father in heaven and be intentional in protecting our children, putting in every effort to guard them from the snares of the evil one. 

One major area requiring wisdom is the use of technology like phones and computers. These are helpful tools, but they are also the means by which the world enters your home, with every wicked thing imaginable at your child’s fingertips. Therefore, you should establish basic rules for your family, such as keeping devices in common areas rather than bedrooms, using filtering software, and delaying the use of social media. 

Likewise, you must also consider your children’s friends. Don't assume that just because you take part in the same church community, your standards or practices align. There is nothing wrong with deciding that, for the time being, your families will not be spending time alone together if there are any unresolved concerns.

Now, one very important trap to avoid is that of sheltering your children without instruction. Too many well-meaning Christian families have shielded their children well, only to sadly discover that their child’s ignorance allowed someone to take advantage of them or left them unprepared when confronted with curiosity or temptation. You should talk plainly and appropriately with your children about their bodies and what they are for, that it is good God made them boys or girls, and make sure you have rules in the home to protect their privacy and encourage honoring one another. 

Always keep the goal in mind—that you are equipping them to live as faithful men and women, future husbands and fathers, wives and mothers. And remember that all of this must be done in faith and not out of fear. Love God and fill your homes with great gospel joy—the kind that crushes serpents and topples giants.