By Janet Mylin, True Girl Lead Teacher
Well, here we are.
Sounds and images are everywhere stating various viewpoints about what happened or didn’t happen at the political rally in Butler, PA on July 13th.
As adults it can be easy to get caught up in that vortex of division, accusation, justification, and investigation but something very important demands our attention:
Our kids are processing the fact that somebody tried to kill
someone else.
And, to further complicate their thoughts, the target of that individual is a former President of the United States and hopes to be re-elected this coming November.
And, to make their wondering minds wonder even more, others were hurt and killed in the midst of all of this.
“Mom, why did that person want to hurt that other person?”
I sure don’t pretend to have all the answers. However, one thing every Jesus-following parent can talk about with their kids in this tragic and scary circumstance is HOPE.
This is a good opportunity to tell your child how some people put all of their hope into human leaders, rather than the Lord. And when that doesn’t go like they want it to go, it can make them feel afraid, angry, and frantic, sometimes causing them to change the situation in very hate-filled ways.
A simple but powerful statement to say to your kids is:
“That’s not what we do in our home. We choose to trust God and, in faith, we will pray to Him rather than lose hope.”
While this will not likely answer all of your child’s questions, it solidifies where they need to place their hope, especially as Election Day gets closer and closer here in the States.
Here are some scriptures to share and pray with your kids during this time:
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Psalm 20:7
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him.
Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in people.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
Psalm 118:8,9
These are alarming times, aren’t they? Let’s keep our eyes open, shields of faith locked together, and swords of the Spirit up and ready to shatter lies with God’s Truth. When our kids see us do that, they learn to do it, too, and that is a very powerful thing.
We’re praying for you as you navigate these waters with your kids.
You are not alone,
