Sometimes I grow weary. Tired, run down, absolutely sick of the effort it takes to protect my child from the wickedness in our world.

It used to be simple. Don’t like a certain movie? Don’t let your kid watch it. Don’t want a certain book in your house? Don’t buy it. Don’t want your kid listening to filthy songs? Don’t let them buy the CD.

In some ways, these tactics are still effective at setting boundaries.

Except, with the explosion of technology, it’s not so simple anymore. Those movies can be streamed effortlessly right into your home, and many shows marketed to children aren’t really for children anymore; pornography is no longer just on adult websites. Those books are not only easily accessible, but they are actually being pushed in children’s libraries, and in many cases, read out loud to them in school (without you knowing). Those songs can be played for free from many devices, and certain pop stars with ideological slant are advertised everywhere as role models for our children.

Mix this with the cultural rot that has progressed to the point of depravity, and it makes me want to burn everything down and live under a rock.

But I know we are supposed to be in this world, fighting for biblical truths, showing and sharing the love of God, and discipling our kids to be prepared for what may come.

So instead of letting the weariness take over completely, I pray (really hard) for my child, for her heart and mind, and trust in God to protect her spiritually in ways that I cannot.

Still, God blessed me with very strong mama bear instincts, and I know it’s part of my responsibility to steer my daughter toward some things and away from others. Even when she’s begging to get a certain book from the library, watch a certain movie or show, or do something “all her friends are doing.” Especially then. We are called to be set apart as believers, to let our lives reflect our love and appreciation for Jesus.

It would be so easy to just let things go and live for the immediate gratification of saying yes to all the things. But that’s not truly loving our children and wanting what is best for them. I’m not here to make my child happy all the time. I’m here to help her learn faith through obedience to God, because that is what will ultimately lead to the best life for her. God’s boundaries are beautiful. 

Jesus takes the discipleship of children especially seriously, because He knows children are especially precious. In Matthew 18, after describing having a childlike faith as the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven, He goes on to condemn anyone who causes a little one to stumble (v. 6). He thinks it would be better for you to drown with a heavy millstone around your neck than to mess with kids, because those who do will incur greater judgment. I’d say that’s pretty serious.

I don’t know about you, but I can think of a lot of people who have earned a millstone.

In the meantime, with my marching orders, I am committed to being in the way.

What does that mean? This.

You want to promote evil content in the majority of your children’s shows? I will cancel our subscription.

You want to purposely highlight books that push a sexual agenda in the CHILDREN’S section of the library? That trash is getting pushed to the back.

You want to tell my beautiful daughter that a boy could be what she is or a man could be what I am by putting on a costume? Nope, we live by God’s design.

You want to plaster a 30-something celebrity on the cover of every magazine and tell our little girls she’s living the ideal feminist life? I will explain the counterfeit nature of touched up pictures and the lies of the feminist worldview.

You want to expose our child to made up identities and language? You can miss us with that nonsense; we’re not playing that game.

You want to tell our child that her skin color makes her an oppressor and she has to repent to the god of critical race theory? Stop your noise; we stopped listening years ago.

You want to overstep your bounds and override my parental authority? I will get loud and remove my child from any of your influence.

It means that you can come with lots of worldly things, even with the best of intentions, but I’m going to be there, in the way, blocking and stopping and cutting it down.

It’s exhausting and purposefully becoming more tedious by the day, but I know the cost of not being in the way.

The cost is my child’s soul. And that’s a price I’m not willing to pay.

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away – it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.”

Matthew 18:6