How to Be a Light in the World

How do we even begin to raise our children in this broken world? With the events that have taken place in the last six months, I can't help but be overwhelmed with the fear that we are raising children in hard times. I keep asking myself how to be a light in the world and for my children. Sometimes I wonder what I can do to protect them from the hurt that has flooded our news-feeds and lives.I am continually reminded that as Christians, this is what our duty has always been. To walk out the light in the up-most darkness. Everyone wants to be the light when light isn't necessarily needed. It's a pretty easy job to illuminate when there is already light because if we grow tired or distracted our light isn't imperative, but when the world suddenly goes dark our job to be the light becomes crucial. Our light is no longer a benefit; it has become a necessity.So how do we find hope? How do we ensure our lights don't grow dim with every news post and Facebook rant? Is it possible to raise our children to believe there is in fact good in the world? How can this be when their minds are flooded and polluted with so much hate? The real question comes down to this:

How can I be a light in the world?

For me, I've done the only thing I know how; I point them to Jesus. Day in and day out, but only after I continually and daily align myself with Him and His teachings. Our job is to equip ourselves with the word of God and rightly understanding what the word actually means. What more can we do as parents than to lead them to the teacher and to the Heavenly Father when words and rationale fall short. As Christians, we are in hard times, although this should not be a shock to us. The Bible tells us in, John 15:18,

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”

As Christians we will be persecuted. The Bible reminds us that it is a guarantee; this should not shock us. But what we do with that persecution is how we can ultimately glorify God the greatest. Do we crumble when faced with the brokenness of the world or do we rise with our children and show the hurting world that the light that is within us can drown out this painful darkness this world is under? Do we hide and protect our children's little ears from hearing the latest news stories? Or do we educate them on how they should respond to these issues in order to begin to ignite their own little lights that can be brought into the world?

Your response determines how bright of a light you will be to the world.

I want to be the kind of mother that my response to these modern-day issues penetrates my children's hearts to the core. So that when they see these things they realize they are not a victim to this world but an answer sent by God to bring restoration and healing to those around us. Romans 8:35-37 tells us:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

I want to raise little conquerors. Children who see hurt and don't get offended or sad, but biblically know how to respond in order to bring God glory. I want to raise children that don't feel hopeless at the state of our nation but see it as an opportunity to bring Christ's goodness to those around them. I want to not live in fear over the latest current events so that my children won't learn to respond that way. Can we commit to shifting our focus or fear, hurt and anger and propel a future generation that knows how to respond to these injustices and actually make a difference in this hurting and broken world?

Today I commit to the following:

• No longer letting the negative headlines direct my daily trajectory.
• Standing firm in my faith.
• Taking every opportunity to teach my children what we are called to do as Christians.
• Staying in the word of God daily and point my children to Jesus when I don't have the answers.
• Invoking a light so deep inside them, the darkness of this world won't be able to put it out.
• Raising little conquerors and world changers for the cause of Christ!

By committing to these things, I think the news stories and latest controversies will no longer be able to steal my joy, but more importantly, we can glorify God. There's nothing I'd rather do more for myself and my family.

My Prayer

Father I thank you that you entrust us in times such as these to walk out your goodness and love to a hurting and broken world. I pray for parents that our overwhelmed with the responsibility of raising little conquerors. I pray that you continually show us how we can do good when the world seems hopeless. Father remind us that our security is in you alone. I pray for a generation that rises to the call you have for them. I pray that the lights inside our children are growing stronger each passing day. Let us lead them in your ways Father and in your word and trust that they alone can change the world. Amen.