Saturday, May 28, 2022

When Violence Touches a Child’s Life


By Julie Lowe

The threat of danger impacts our children on a regular basis. Tragic school shootings, violent crimes, and the like all incite an array of heartache and anxiety. Even when the threat is not at our front door, it is booming from media outlets into our homes. The likelihood that your child is impacted is high. Regardless of where you live or how stable your family life is, the lives of kids and teens are being touched by violence to some degree, and we must help them make sense of it.

Rather than react out of fear, we must help our kids by demonstrating an appropriate level of sobriety and sorrow by such events, while exhibiting that our hope is in Christ. The challenge is to find the right balance—teaching young people awareness and caution while equally encouraging trust in a sovereign God. The most hazardous thing we let our children do is ride in a car, yet we rarely fear driving them to school or church or the mall—nor should we. Young people must learn to live life fully, and not overshadowed by fear.

So parents—engage with your kids about these threatening realities. Do your best to explain them and be willing to discuss why evil exists. Model godly grief and educate your children on what is right and just. Our kids will be able to walk with confidence in a troubled world if they are educated on how to think, feel equipped to respond, and have grown to put their confidence in their Creator. We want to teach children how to both navigate this world and trust an unrivaled God.

Below are five suggestions to help children feel prepared in the face of potential violence. Read More

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