The Idea Police

The commercial tells them they aren’t attractive enough. The curriculum tells them they can’t work together on a level playing field. Their peers tell them they don’t fit in. Social media tells them they aren’t good enough. The movie tells them their faith is stupid. Older people tell them they are soft and can’t handle the problems facing them.

Oof. No wonder many kids feel miserable. If only we could bubble wrap their brains and only let in positive thoughts—ideas that flow from God’s life-giving principles.

Hiding them from the world isn’t possible, and as they get older it’s not even preferable. They are surrounded by their culture, and they can either drift along with it, or they can help transform it.

As parents we have to help them get to that level of maturity. The stakes are too high to leave them alone to figure it out for themselves. Much like how the military builds its culture and expectations, we want to build a Christ-culture in our home.

In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul uses a clear military metaphor for the church. He says we fight cultural warfare with spiritual weapons. We are to capture every idea as a prisoner and then make it obedient to Christ.

We destroy arguments and every bit of pride that keeps anyone from knowing God. We capture people’s thoughts and make them obey Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:4b-5 (CEV)

Naturally, it takes more time to train your kids to do this. It’s so easy to set them down in front of a screen; it's much harder to sit with them and talk about what they are seeing. But we can best help our kids by teaching them to identify, evaluate, and connect the ideas coming at them.

It’s not as hard as you might fear. Questions help wake up our mind and spirit to see through glamor and illusions. So, help them ask: What does this commercial make you want to do? Why? How did the marketers make you feel that way? Would doing that in real life make someone happier? How’s that working out with your friends? What does the Bible say about it?

Raising thoughtful kids takes a lot of time and talk, wisdom, and prayer. The Lord will help you as you train your kids to live with you in his kingdom and help bring his life to your culture.

Pray

Lord, please help me be the idea police for my kids, and help me teach them to know your thoughts and ways and ask good questions. Together may we change the culture around us. Amen.

Time to Talk

Conversation starter for kids: Provides you with questions and prompts to facilitate a time of applicable discussion with children to lead them towards knowing God and His Word more deeply.

Question(s): What kinds of questions do police officers ask suspects to find out about crimes or question alibis? How can we be idea police to help us change the culture around together?

Keep It Going

Related passages: These additional verses will help parents expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Swipe to read the passages today.

Isaiah 29:14

1 Corinthians 1:18, 24