Last week, it came to my attention that President Obama was planning on delivering a speech to the nations’ schoolchildren regarding the importance of education. While there has been plenty of public opinion posted on both sides of this issue, I wanted to share a response I gave to an email thread regarding the Presidents’ speech. I received a lot of positive response to the original email, and hope that others may find it helpful.
I’m going to weigh in on my 2-cents here…please forgive the rant and I will try not to sermonize.
As Christians, it is important for us to be involved in the political process. Our children learn much by our example in standing up for what is right regardless of popular opinion. We had an amazing teaching opportunity with our own two children last January when Obama won the school-wide election…and they had both voted for McCain.
My own personal opinion is that it is MY job as a parent to be informed and involved in EVERYTHING that goes on with my children’s education. I may not agree with what is taught in school (for example, evolutionary theory), but that provides me with an opportunity to teach my children God’s TRUTH and provide them with ways to combat Satan’s lies. For the rest of their lives they are going to be “in the world but not of it.” God has given me the responsibility with training them up in the truth…so that when they are old they will not depart from it.
As much as I detest this, I will support them watching it at school. I do agree with his message that education is important. And whether or not I agree with his politics – which for the most part, I don’t – he IS the elected leader of this country…and in obedience to God I will respect his authority. However, I will watch his speech myself. I will listen carefully. And I will take the time that evening to talk with my children about what he said, how it relates to scripture and how we must respond in God-honoring ways.
I realize all parents have to handle this situation differently – but for me, pulling my children out of this sends the wrong message. It tells them “I don’t have to listen to you if I disagree with you.” It singles them out for undue – possibly negative – attention from their peers. And it doesn’t teach them strategies for dealing with freedom of speech in appropriate ways. Some day in the future, they’re going to come face-to-face with someone who believes as passionately in everything that is against God’s word as we do about the inerrancy of scripture. They need to know how to take a stand – to resist the lies no matter how eloquent, how smooth-sounding, how decisively they are delivered.
You bet I will be praying…for wisdom and discernment. For sensitivity and leading. For God to reveal Himself in the midst of the darkness. And I will remember that it is possible to draw a straight line with a crooked stick. 🙂