by Tini Tadeo-Castillo
As a parent, I fear so many things for my children. But one of the major things I am really scared of, is for my children to be raised by today's culture. In this day and age, more and more kids are being raised by our perverted society and if we are not careful and intentional, our own maybe in the same danger. I grew up in the same--loving the pleasures of the world, became tolerant of those who sinned in "subtle" ways and expected the same from them when it was my turn to sin. I justified it many times saying my sins were lesser evil. I accepted the norm--the norm that wasn't necessarily good but was applauded by many. I thought I was marching to the beat of my own drum, not knowing that my drumbeat echoed that of the sinful world. Needless to say, I was blindly following the ways of the world where the enemy reigned, with no clear idea that the path I was treading was the path headed to destruction, to a damned life.
As a Christian, my eyes have been opened to the reality of spiritual warfare--the war waged in the spiritual realm, a realm we do not see with our eyes. This war is so stealthy and subtle that we do not see where the fiery darts come from. His attack is so intentional and hits you without you even knowing it. To some extent, he will use you as a pawn in this evil scheme without you even realizing it. I don't know about you but the thought that my kids will be duped by this evil society makes me shudder.
Seeing how this was real in my own past, I dreaded the same for my children. I became determined in equipping myself to be a better mother to Jam and Cicc. I had to learn to identify the tactics of the enemy, to learn to fight it and at the same time protect myself from it. I cannot say I am an expert on this yet. I am most certainly not. But I am sure that a first-hand experience can be a pretty good teacher and to couple that with the thirst to know and to surround myself with good mentors, I knew I am headed the right way. Thus, I began first by scrutinizing the things my kids are exposed to. Like social media.
You see the enemy's attacks come in many forms and the number one tool these days is the social media. Case in point: A trending news about the revelation and coming out of a celebrity as a "new creation". The news encouraged people (including you and your children) to be more accepting, to be more tolerant, to embrace this--to an extent that you admire and applaud it. Your own moral compass is shaken and you will use the same compass to raise your own. Our kids watch films that have a distorted definitions of love and security--premarital sex, adultery, violence among others. We are not around most of the day (busy with work) and in the few times that we are, we leave our kids to judge on their own whether these things they see in the movies, internet, tv shows are right or not. They see others nod their heads and they figure "Oh this must be right!" and so they nod their heads too. This is where the trouble begins.."everyone else is doing it, why can't we?"
Tolerance, acceptance and admiration are good traits--but at what expense? Do we compromise our soul to please others and to a certain point to please our PRIDE and in effect, compromising also that of our children? Pride, as not many people realize it, is the same sin Lucifer/Satan was guilty of. The reason why he was cast out into this world. And this world is where he is causing trouble, getting people on his side (including me, you and our children), falsely gratifying everyone with the wrong pleasures, teaching all of us to pervertedly follow our hearts and feed our pride.
Most of us are unsuspecting, gullible even. We fall hook, line and sinker into the pit, taking our own children with us. Like Eve, we take a bite into the forbidden fruit. We follow the false command wide-eyed and unequipped, credulous and vulnerable, naive and caught off-guard. Boom! We are marching with the enemy! What a tragedy. A sad legacy to be leaving our children with.
At the end of the day, we are accountable to only ONE and we must learn how to surrender our own will to God. Your children are smart, never underestimate them. They will know what true surrender is and when they see it, they will be encouraged to surrender theirs, too. Thus is the power of modeling. God can and will equip you as a parent to fight this war. If only you ask. God will strengthen you and give you His own armor as you battle for your soul and for the souls of your children. If you only let Him. God will train you and teach you first-hand how this war goes, but first you must realize that it is a training ground for your own good. Jesus will fight with and for you in all battles, but you must first accept Him as your own personal Savior.
As a parent, I fear so many things for my children. But one of the major things I am really scared of, is for my children to be raised by today's culture. In this day and age, more and more kids are being raised by our perverted society and if we are not careful and intentional, our own maybe in the same danger. I grew up in the same--loving the pleasures of the world, became tolerant of those who sinned in "subtle" ways and expected the same from them when it was my turn to sin. I justified it many times saying my sins were lesser evil. I accepted the norm--the norm that wasn't necessarily good but was applauded by many. I thought I was marching to the beat of my own drum, not knowing that my drumbeat echoed that of the sinful world. Needless to say, I was blindly following the ways of the world where the enemy reigned, with no clear idea that the path I was treading was the path headed to destruction, to a damned life.
As a Christian, my eyes have been opened to the reality of spiritual warfare--the war waged in the spiritual realm, a realm we do not see with our eyes. This war is so stealthy and subtle that we do not see where the fiery darts come from. His attack is so intentional and hits you without you even knowing it. To some extent, he will use you as a pawn in this evil scheme without you even realizing it. I don't know about you but the thought that my kids will be duped by this evil society makes me shudder.
Seeing how this was real in my own past, I dreaded the same for my children. I became determined in equipping myself to be a better mother to Jam and Cicc. I had to learn to identify the tactics of the enemy, to learn to fight it and at the same time protect myself from it. I cannot say I am an expert on this yet. I am most certainly not. But I am sure that a first-hand experience can be a pretty good teacher and to couple that with the thirst to know and to surround myself with good mentors, I knew I am headed the right way. Thus, I began first by scrutinizing the things my kids are exposed to. Like social media.
You see the enemy's attacks come in many forms and the number one tool these days is the social media. Case in point: A trending news about the revelation and coming out of a celebrity as a "new creation". The news encouraged people (including you and your children) to be more accepting, to be more tolerant, to embrace this--to an extent that you admire and applaud it. Your own moral compass is shaken and you will use the same compass to raise your own. Our kids watch films that have a distorted definitions of love and security--premarital sex, adultery, violence among others. We are not around most of the day (busy with work) and in the few times that we are, we leave our kids to judge on their own whether these things they see in the movies, internet, tv shows are right or not. They see others nod their heads and they figure "Oh this must be right!" and so they nod their heads too. This is where the trouble begins.."everyone else is doing it, why can't we?"
Tolerance, acceptance and admiration are good traits--but at what expense? Do we compromise our soul to please others and to a certain point to please our PRIDE and in effect, compromising also that of our children? Pride, as not many people realize it, is the same sin Lucifer/Satan was guilty of. The reason why he was cast out into this world. And this world is where he is causing trouble, getting people on his side (including me, you and our children), falsely gratifying everyone with the wrong pleasures, teaching all of us to pervertedly follow our hearts and feed our pride.
Most of us are unsuspecting, gullible even. We fall hook, line and sinker into the pit, taking our own children with us. Like Eve, we take a bite into the forbidden fruit. We follow the false command wide-eyed and unequipped, credulous and vulnerable, naive and caught off-guard. Boom! We are marching with the enemy! What a tragedy. A sad legacy to be leaving our children with.
At the end of the day, we are accountable to only ONE and we must learn how to surrender our own will to God. Your children are smart, never underestimate them. They will know what true surrender is and when they see it, they will be encouraged to surrender theirs, too. Thus is the power of modeling. God can and will equip you as a parent to fight this war. If only you ask. God will strengthen you and give you His own armor as you battle for your soul and for the souls of your children. If you only let Him. God will train you and teach you first-hand how this war goes, but first you must realize that it is a training ground for your own good. Jesus will fight with and for you in all battles, but you must first accept Him as your own personal Savior.