On Televisions and Mobiles......

James tell us, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:14). The Apostle Paul tells us that “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor 10:13).
That’s why our God, through the Law of Moses, treats his people as a tightly-governed child “under guardians and managers until the date set by his father” (Gal 4:2). He carefully works us toward maturity, seeing that we’re faithful in small things before putting us over many things. That’s what a good and loving Father does.

A pre-teen or a teenager with unrestricted cell-phone usage, Internet or television consumption is being placed in a very, very difficult place of temptation. The company of that young man or woman is now away from the scrutiny of parents, and is now left only to his or her discretion or conscience.

I wonder then, when it comes to cell phones and unrestricted TV viewing, how many parents do precisely what our Father never does, and never will do.

Are there some young Christians who can handle such? Of course. Should you assume your child is one of them? Your Father is more careful of you than that.

And, did I also mention PICTURES? ! “Mistakes” today can be so much bigger than when we were kids. A young person can make a bad judgment call with a text or picture, and when that relationship goes sour, that picture is all over the internet.

It doesn’t mean you have to turn your house into an Inquisition hall or the Jail.
It simply means your child knows that you love him or her enough to check in frequently to see what’s going on in life. It also means that you communicate clearly that the child doesn’t have a personal cellphone, autonomous of your authority.

The best solution I have come up with is for parents to own extra phones, and give them to the kids when I want them to have them. They don’t need to keep them all of the time. This way they do have access to a phone, but they don’t give out that number to everybody and constantly text friends. Checking up on your kids’ texts and things really can have a negative feel to them - that they’re not trusted and stuff. So keeping the phone does away with that, also.

All things can be used for God’s glory. The point is: Christian parents raising children according to God’s word. Cell phones,TV, the Net are not the enemy.

Communicating your love to your child means communicating your involvement. The gospel message is one of Fatherhood and sonship, of a Father who knows the hairs on our head (Luke 12:7), who fights for his children when they’re tested, tempted, or mistreated. Picture that kind of God to your children, even if they grumble and complain at first.