“Dad, can you explain circumcision?” At this point, I realized that our family’s goal to read through the Bible together this year was going to be interesting. We read the Bible together often. However, I now realize that, without knowing it, I’ve been far too selective in our readings. Halfway through Genesis, God’s plan to fill the earth through His promised people was being communicated quite graphically.
At one point, one of my kids just stopped reading and exclaimed, “Wow! This Bible is R-rated!” To be sure, there have been awkward moments. My wife and I have had to use wisdom in explaining what exactly is happening in the story. But, we have not left out the details that the Bible presents for us. Why? Because each time I felt this temptation I determined I was going to trust the wisdom of God over and above my wisdom.
There is no escaping the fact that the Bible is full of graphic images of sex. God has no problem in fully exposing us to the reality of sex and how it fits in His plans. He has no problem explaining in detail how the covenant of marriage is violated. Why? Because he loves us and longs for us to take our thoughts about sex captive with His word. He is longing for us to be captured by a greater love than all the loves we see in the world around us.
However, my fear isn’t that we are scared of our kids hearing about sex. We would just rather someone else tell them about it. At least, that’s the way we seem to function.
Each Christmas, while reading the story of Christ’s birth, we squirm at the question, “What’s a virgin?” But, do we flinch at the lyrics of teenage love gone wrong found in our daughters favorite Taylor Swift song? We rage against sexual equality movements with snarky posts on Facebook. But, have we thought to personally prepare our son for what he’s about to hear in the Middle School locker room. Some of us seem to believe that sheltering of our kids from all things sexual is a solution. While we must use wisdom in what our kid’s see and hear (and ourselves for that matter), we must also understand, the temptation to distort God’s design for sex isn’t found in the Hardee’s commercial. It’s found in the human heart.
As we see the cultural boundaries of sex and marriage aggressively pushed beyond credulity we must remember that the greatest danger to our kid’s sexuality isn’t out in the world. It’s the desire of their own heart to make of sex only what they want. One of the greatest threats to them getting romance and love wrong isn’t in pop culture it’s our belief that it is better for us to remain silent about it.
When they hear about others gawking at Beyonce and Jay-z’s strip tease at the Grammy’s, they should know from you that there’s a display of love far more glorious. You must help their thoughts to be held captive by a groom who doesn’t exploit His bride before a watching world. Jesus washes His church with the water of His word to make her eternally clean. When they are tempted to experiment with a love void of commitment, countless conversations with you should help drive them to something far more weighty than the sugary pop lyrics found in a Justin Beiber song. With a rugged faith, they are to believe there is something better found in a warrior who lays down His life for His beloved.
As parents who believe the Bible is God’s word, we have the responsibility to shape the sexual feelings our kids’ will have. Our children must know that God has already determined the boundaries for sex and marriage. They must be able to see all of the world they live in through the lens of the biblical storyline. If we want to hide the subject of sex from our kids then it is going be impossible to actually read the Bible with them.
If we refuse teach our kid’s about sex, someone else will be perfectly happy to do it for us. The way they see, hear, and feel about sex is to be driven by the story of God’s Good-News revealed in His word. At times, it get’s a bit graphic. At times, yes, the biblical story is R-rated but if they understand the Gospel mystery of sex it they will be bored by the R-rated ones at the movies.
For more thoughts on this subject check out Pastor David’s article here.
