Dear Editor,
Thank you for Glyn Harrison’s wake-up call in the June issue of en, ‘Social media and our children’ on page 15. After clearly sounding the alarm, Glyn concludes by asking: ‘And what are we going to do about it now?’
Here is a response from a parent’s perspective. What should parents do? ‘Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does he not know it?’ (Prov. 24:11-12)
We parents are the Lord’s servants specifically chosen to care for our (His) children in their early years. It is our duty to guard their health and safety. The biggest danger is not physical, but spiritual (Eph. 6:10ff). There are many influences in our society which ‘draw our children toward death’. Smartphones are able to do this more efficiently and enjoyably than any other means.
We are tempted not to examine things in the light of Scripture and to adopt a position of ‘we did not know this’. The Lord wants us to protect children from harm while training them in Biblical discernment (Mark 9:42-48, Prov. 22:6). By His grace this will enable them to resist the devil and serve the Lord as they progress from childhood to adulthood.
Men and women are powerless to resist the devil’s deceit. Satan hijacks wonderful media technology to achieve his deadly purposes. He wants to devour us and our children (1 Peter 5:8). Jesus leaves us in no doubt: the devil is no gentleman who fights fairly, showing pity to defenceless children. He is a subtle, deceitful, vicious murderer (John 8:44, Rev.12:4).
We need to devise wise smartphone/social media strategies based on God’s word. The Lord will help us if we ask Him. If we wait until our child starts using a phone, it could be too late – we must plan ahead. Unless we are alert, the world’s philosophy can subtly infiltrate and take root in our home from early in a child’s life. In the UK its message is: ‘Let’s eat, drink and enjoy ourselves. There’s no God, no Judgement and no Saviour.’
What is God’s way of family safety? Only He can deliver our children from the evil one. Our response to His warnings either invites Him to save them or it does the opposite.
He wants us to keep Him at the centre of our family life. We must teach His word and pray, ordering our home life, its atmosphere and policies to put the word into practice (Matt.7:24-27). Parents must exemplify what it means to build one’s life on the Rock.
By God’s mercy in answer to prayer, our children will recognise the Good Shepherd’s voice in their hearts and consciences. As they grow, they will sense the danger of what is happening around them. To respond appropriately will mean going against the flow of British youth culture. Tragically, most (young) people are ‘stumbling to the slaughter’.
‘The gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few’ (Matt. 7:13,14, ESV).
Yours sincerely,
Steve Sherwood, East Leake
