Standing Stronger
This Week: Standing Stronger
It is too simplistic to say our students live in a culture hostile to their Christian faith. After all, the evangelical church is thriving. We are free to worship God according to our convictions without fear of reprisals from our government or our peers. And we openly discuss and proclaim our beliefs in every imaginable forum.
Still, your children may sometimes feel as if the secular media culture, especially, is hostile to their faith. Many intelligent and popular teachers, TV personalities, and politicians openly mock what they believe. Closer to home, the reaction of peers to bold belief in Jesus can range from simple confusion to open contempt.
More pervasive is the expectation on our kids to participate without objection in newer cultural norms like binge drinking, sexual gaming and experimentation, cheating, lying, and even giving ascent to worldview ideas that contradict your own biblical teaching.
This week, we’re focusing the talking point questions below (as well as our Daily Prayer and the PlanetWisom.com daily devotional) on the issue of standing for our biblical convictions. We’re basing these conversations on Daniel 1. You might want to read through it to prepare yourself for any teachable moments that become available this week.
Talking Points:
- Do you ever feel like people might not like you if they knew what you believe about Jesus and the Bible?
- Do you ever feel like anyone might even be angry toward you for your beliefs?
- Sometimes what we feel isn’t really true; we can be paranoid. Why do you think it’s easy to be afraid that others would think we’re foolish for believing the Bible?
- Has anyone ever confronted you about what you believe? How did you respond? How did you feel about it?
- Which would bother you more—someone thinking you’re dumb for what you believe or someone thinking you’re dumb for the choices you make because of your beliefs (like not drinking or having sex, etc.)?
- Can you imagine a situation in which you’d have to rebel against someone in authority because they wanted you to do or say something that went against your biblical convictions?
- Similar question: Can you imagine having to rebel against your friends because they wanted you to do something that went against your Christian convictions?
- What’s the best approach when you have to tell someone “no” because what they want from you isn’t right?
- Does it ever help to get angry or to yell? Is it ever a good idea just to avoid the situation so you don’t have to confront the person?
- Practically speaking, does standing strong for God matter? Does it “work”? Will it really make you happier or healthier or smarter or more joyful to believe Him and obey His teaching about sex, alcohol, telling the truth, etc.?
- Have you seen God use your choice—or someone else’s choice—to go against the flow and do the right thing pay off? Have you see it really bring glory to God?
- What’s your strategy for standing strong when the pressure is on to go against your beliefs or to do things you know are wrong before God?
[As a parent, be ready to share any of your own experiences about standing up—or not—for what you knew to be right. Be sure to include the consequences of those decisions.]
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