As dads we must never forget that we are raising our kids in enemy occupied territory. There is a great deceiver who has mastered the process of blinding our eyes to the truth and confusing our perception of reality. Jesus pulled no punches when he described the unpleasant but undeniable reality of Satan’s primary weapon.
When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)
If we are abused, we know it. When we are tempted or oppressed, we know it. But if we are deceived, we don’t know it! That is why lies are such powerful weapons in the battle for the hearts and minds of our children. Satan understands the power and influence of deception. Do we?
Fortunately, we have an even more powerful weapon in this battle – truth. We can dispel the darkness of lies with the light of truth. As Jesus put it earlier in the same passage…
If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)
By understanding that children enter this world with blurred vision – with an inability to recognize reality as it truly is – we can become intentional about helping them sort through the deception and recognize truth. We need something we call the lenses principle.
The Lenses Principle
Our children need the corrective lenses of truth in order to navigate the deceptive roads of life.
We live in a culture that has in large part rejected this principle, with tragic consequences. Beliefs and behaviors once considered deprave are now considered normal because parents are reluctant to teach children a standard of absolute moral truth.
Heroic Dad Challenge #4: Don’t assume your children can discern truth from lies. Become intentional about faith conversations. Review the FAMILY TIME SAMPLER to find the best strategy for creating impression points with your children.
Going Further:
Watch the FAMILY TIME video HEREand then schedule your first faith talk activity.