Where Meredith and I were going through the process of planning our family and discussing how we wanted to raise our children, the subject naturally arose "what do we do when everything around our children is telling them that one thing is right but we believe something else is right?" I think many Christian families have the same concerns, worries, and struggles. No one wants their children to have to carry the burden of fighting for morality or truth when they should be free to just enjoy being a kid.
The conclusion I came to is this: the biggest service we can do to our children is to simply let them know from the start that we are different. We may not be different because of our heritage or the way we physically look, but we are not just doing whatever everyone else does. Sometimes I roleplay this conversation in my head and it goes something like this...
Phoebe: Daddy, why are there things the other kids do that we don't do? Me: Because we're different. Let me ask this... does anyone at school look exactly like you? Phoebe: No. Me: Exactly. We all have things that make us different. Mommy and daddy act different from some of the other grown-ups because we believe in Jesus and Jesus loves us very much. Some people don't really know about Jesus so they do things a little different. Phoebe: Why don't they know about Jesus? Me: Some people haven't heard about Jesus. Some have heard but don't understand... kind of like how sometimes its hard to learn things at school. We can help them understand and that's why we do things differently. Sometimes when people see how much Jesus loves us, cares for us, and gives us joy it helps them to understand. That's why we live differently.
The Bible also reinforces similar ideas. Peter talks about this in his first letter...
15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. (1 Peter 1:15-17)
We are called to be "foreigners" in this earthly realm. This implies that we never fully assimilate. We aren't citizens, natural-born or naturalized. We are, instead, individuals who retain our foreign identity and practices. As we measure our responses to this world, we should take care to evaluate if we are looking more like citizens or foreigners. Take comfort because you do not need the citizenship of this world due to the blessings and glory which come from our eternal nationality.
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