“…therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:23-24)
The last time humanity dwelled in the land of Eden it didn’t go well. It went so poorly, the LORD God kicked us out and barred our reentry with an armed angelic guard. Ever since, our hearts yearn to go back to paradise. To live in a perfect world without sin and without sinners.
But that’s not realistic.
I’m afraid lots of us parents stubbornly deny that. We can work too hard to try to create a utopia for our children where nothing crosses their paths without it being filtered or sugar-coated or bubble-wrapped. We try to prevent them from ever seeing the actual condition of our world: wrecked, broken, hurt and hurtful. Our motives may seem pure: Keep them safe. Preserve their innocence as long as possible. But most often the actual underlying motive is our own fear.
And fear is a terrible driver. It can drive us to try to hide too much. To shelter too much. To control too much. To create such a large protective shield around our children that they no longer live in reality.
If we are not careful, we can become so intent on micromanaging our own personal artificial paradise that we forget we were not born to live in Eden. We were born to live in this world. In 2021. For this exact generation. For this society with its unique deep need for God. We were born for this. Our children were born for this.
It’s our job as parents to equip them to survive in this dark world. Not only to survive but to thrive in such a way that others may, “see their good deeds and praise their father in Heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
So let’s honestly examine the underlying motives and the methods we employ to shelter and protect our kids. Will our strategies prepare them to live as strong, confident and powerful witnesses in this world? Or are we potentially doing them a disservice by fearfully avoiding hard things: difficult topics, difficult people, difficult problems, difficult places. What are we afraid of? And why?
“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word…” (John 17: 16-20).
Be brave,
