Choosing our battles wisely

Josh came home from school today and said, "Mom! My art teacher gave us an assignment to do. She said we have to draw a picture of a haunted house". Well, if you read my entry "We Bow Down", you already know how I feel about this whole idea.

So, I found myself looking down at my son's baby blues, and he was looking back at me. The easy way out would have been just to say, "Well, just do it, even though we don't agree with it." But if I were to say that, then what good does it do to spend hours and hours teaching our kids about what we believe is right, and how we need to stand up for those beliefs, even if we are standing alone?  I asked Josh what he thought about the assignment he said,  "When she told the class, I thought to myself, this is really awful".

So, I did what my son expected me to do. After all, if I don't mean what I say, then why speak at all? I got the computer and wrote an email to his art teacher. I'm sure she'll think I am some whacked out religious nut who is out of touch with reality. Or maybe not. Maybe it will make her think about things a little differently. Maybe I am the first person that has actually had the nerve to request an alternative assignment for my child based on our families principles and convictions. Either way, I know that there are two people who respect me for it....God and my son. No, Josh doesn't completely understand why he is the only one in his whole class that doesn't celebrate halloween. And, no, he doesn't always understand why we make the decisions we make. But little by little, our consistency is helping him to develop a keen discernment, even at the fragile age of eight. It's not always easy to stand up for what we believe. It's even harder at eight when your friends are all doing the opposite. But I'd rather stand alone on the unpopular side of an issue, and be at peace with God, than compromise my convictions for a moment, and regret it for a lifetime. Our kids need to see us living a consistent life. I don't always do it perfectly, and they are quick to tell me when they see me contradict myself. But when it comes to the things of God, I want to stand firm, without wavering. I feel many times as if I am a dying breed. I am sure many Christians feel this way as we watch the world twist our faith, ridicule our beliefs and mock our Lord. But my only choice is to stand, and hope that by standing, maybe I will help others to be bold and stand as well. We don't realize the power and sphere of influence that the Lord has given us. It is an amazing thing that many times I overlook. This time, I am standing with my eyes wide open.