Sometimes perfect strangers will see me out with my children and say things like, “I can’t imagine parenting in this generation.” Or, “I can’t imagine how tough it is to raise children in this culture.”
They mean well. And I understand their sentiment. But it’s not encouraging a bit.
Whether they’re referring to this internet-addicted generation, or smartphones and social media and technological distractions, or even our crazy culture wars… or all the above.
Yes, it’s very difficult to raise kids in this generation. But I’m going to go out on a limb and say raising kids is probably a challenge no matter what generation we’re in. I would not wish to be a parent watching my boys march off to war in the first half of the 1900’s. I would not prefer to keep my marriage together and my children fed and clothed during the Great Depression.
I sure wouldn’t rather be a first century Christian momma.
So while – yes – it’s quite difficult, I’ll pick 2016. And I’ll pick it with confidence and contentment, because it does not surprise the Lord that He’s got sons and daughters trying their best to follow Him, stay committed to each other in marriage, and raise our kiddos to bring Him glory in 2016.
He knows, and He will equip us.
One of my mother’s day gifts last Sunday included an hour and a half at a small table in a small coffee shop with just my boys. The original plan was a stroll through Fort Worth’s Japanese Gardens straight from church, but the windy, rainy morning found us sitting around a cozy table at Avoca instead. One of the boys brought up the national election, and then we moved onto some rather divisive local politics with our city’s school board.
I listened to both of their thoughts on the matters, listened to what their friends are saying and their observations from school and media. I told them that while there are lots of great things going on, these things (and more) are disturbing to me. That while God is still on the throne, this is not quite the America I grew up in. I wanted them to know how much has truly changed in one generation. And locally ~ our new superintendent of Fort Worth schools is making some changes stretching our city into a divisive uproar.
But… here’s the bottom line. And I’m repeating what I said in that coffee shop here, because I want my sons to read these words again someday:
Branson Charles Wilson, you were supposed to be born in 2000.
And Hudson James Wilson, you in 2001.
If we believe God’s Word, that you are His specific workmanship, that He tailor-made you before the creation of the world to do good works, then we can be confident that you and the era you’re living in is His perfect design.
Both of you, along with Basden and Esther, and all of your twenty-two cousins, and all of the precious kiddos we know, were born for THIS generation. The Lord planned it so, and He has GOOD works ahead of you.
I don’t know if you will fight in war, if you will have to physically defend yourself and your loved ones. I don’t know if your future is in a peaceful America or one that escalates to Martial Law. But I do know you will stand alone. At some point, in who-knows-what circumstance, you will get to defend what you believe, and it will be difficult.
But Dad and I are going to hold to that umbrella of Ephesians 2:10 and parent in hope and confidence and joy that these days are gifts. That both of you, Branson and Hudson, are gifts. And that you were born into a generation for such a time as this.
Corbin has two favorite passages, and one of those is Philippians 4 ~ do not worry, in everything give thanks. All those years ago when the Bible was written and sovereignly pieced together, God knew we\’d need encouragement not to worry. Actually, a command not to worry. A command not to fear, that there is no fear in love.
So let’s talk politics, let’s discuss bathrooms and sneaky superintendents and liberal media, but let’s do it with an overriding confidence that as my mother-in-love would say, God has already redeemed this. Our job is to watch and walk in faith, watching what He\’s already accomplished unfold. And in the meantime, we can rest in the hope that NOW is the time for unwrapping the gift of getting to raise these amazing children.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10