Preacher on the Run…

“No, you are not.” This was my response when my son told me he was going to jump in the pool. If my son had been 16 or even 8 that likely wouldn’t have been a problem or elicited the same response from me. But he was 4! He could barely get his swimsuit on himself. He couldn’t open the pool gate. He couldn’t get the cover off of the pool. And he definitely couldn’t swim.

Part of being a parent is having foresight for your kids when they don’t yet have it for themselves. This was the case for my 4-year-old. He felt like swimming. He knew we had a pool. He connected the dots and informed me what he was doing. But his lack of discernment, and recognition of what the outcome would be, left him in a precarious position. A circumstance that I, as his dad, had to step in and circumvent. I had to have the sense to step in – even if he didn’t understand at that moment.

Unfortunately, not everyone believes it is a parents’ right, let alone responsibility, to stand up and protect their kids from foreseeable harm. Even if that harm is self-inflicted. This idea of “parental rights” is up for grabs and James Emery White shares one illustration of it and how others are quickly and readily stepping into the “parental role” when parents are doing what they are called to do and be. Check out his article “Parental Rights” for an interesting story and cultural fact regarding parenting.

I tend to agree with White. Just like I told my son when he was 4 years old, I think the time is coming (and may already be here), when we stand up and say “No, you are not”, not just to our kids, but to others who think the parental right is theirs for the taking. What do you think? Is White overreacting? Or is this an issue between parents and schools that will need to be addressed? How can we do this best for the kids, culture, and our world?

As always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day.

Until Next Time…

Photo by Caleb Oquendo (Pexels)