Children love to have friends. That’s why they like to have lots of brothers and sisters. As they get older they love to have more friends. They love to get in the groove with their friends. In fact, many times peer pressure from friends becomes a greater influence than parent pressure! That’s why it is imperative to guard your children’s friends.
Pray and look for godly friends for your children. This is even more important if there are fewer siblings in the family. Refrain from putting them into environments where they may be influenced by worldly and unbiblical lifestyles. That’s why so many concerned parents homeschool their children today. They do not want to put their children into an environment where drawn into sinful habits which will wreck their lives.
Proverbs 13:7 was one of my favorite Scriptures in raising our children: “He that walks with wise men will be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Many wonderful parents cannot understand how their teenagers go astray. Most times it is because they are influenced by the wrong crowd.
I certainly don’t believe in keeping our children at home forever. Our children are all grown and are changing the world. We train them to send out into this sinful and dark world to bring God’s light and truth.
But we don’t send them out . . .
Until they are ready.
Until they are strong.
Until they are ready to face the wolves.
Until they can “withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” against the foe that comes against them (Ephesians 6:13).
Until they come to that place in their hearts where they love righteousness and hate evil and will say No to all temptation.
Until they are established in the truth of God’s Word and can therefore discern all the deceptive garbage that fills our society.
Until then we have a big job getting them ready. Training their senses to understand discernment. Filling them with the truth of God’s Word. Giving them godly convictions. This is our responsibility as parents which we cannot take lightly.
Blessings to you and your children,
Nancy Campbell