Love Never Fails

What do you tell your child when tragedy strikes the nation in such horrific force as Columbine, 9/11, or as in the most recent Virginia Tech attack? Most of the time you cannot shield them from the media onslaught that ensues; it’s on the television, in the newspapers, and on the radio. Sometimes graphic images are portrayed in all their gory detail. And as much as we like to shield our impressionable little ones, it is important to prepare them–in the event, God forbid, that they are ever faced with such a crisis themselves. And we must also educate them the long term consequences of their actions. Our children need to know that violence is never the answer.

As long as time stands, evil will exist in our world. This is a reality that we cannot shrink from, but we should use wisdom in handling. I saw an interview that Anderson Cooper did with a young man who was incarcerated for opening fire on his school a few years back. The young man basically said that he felt this was the only way to end his problems of being bullied, and that he did not fully realize the impact of his actions at the time. I sat in amazement as I listened to the young man recount how he based his reality on the video games he played on a daily basis. “You don’t realize that they won’t get up and walk away.”

At first blush, you think, how can he not realize that a gun kills? But think with me. Most of the violent video games involve repeatedly zeroing in on a target and then repeatedly firing on them until they are destroyed. Often it takes multiple shots, and often the target does not die, but gets up and continues the game. Is it not reasonable to assume that after hours and hours of this “reality,” that a child’s thinking becomes reprogrammed in this manner? This interview has given me new insight into the dangers of some of today’s video entertainment.

Not only are our children subjected to this mentality in their video games, but in the garbage put out by Hollywood. It is because of these images we naively expose ourselves to that America has become desensitized to the horror that follows the violence. We must guard our hearts and minds…not only ours, but our children’s.

But even as we do this, we must not shield them to the point that we crawl in our protective shells and deny the reality that exists in this world. I have and do watch the news reports with my child and try to answer his questions as best I can. I do try to steer away from the more graphic images that might cause nightmares or an excessive fear. We do not want our children walking through life afraid–but aware. It is extremely important to me that my child see the aftermath–the grief that follows, the brokenness, and also the coming together of the survivors and their families. It is important that we pray together for them, that we show compassion for them, and that we talk about what has happened.

And as we pray, we ask for wisdom. We ask for God’s protection around our children. We pray for our nation as it heals. We pray for the guidance from above in our parenting. And then we pull them close to us, wrap our arms around them, and love them…teaching them through our own example that love is the answer.

“And now abideth faith, hope, and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13.

Today’s devotional has been written by Cindy at Beneath the Ivy Wreath.