Generous Gifts — GRITANDFAVOR.COM
I spent my study time this morning reading over child trafficking statistics. I’ve prayed about the topic but would never allow myself to dig deep into the reality. With tears streaming, I wondered how we got here. How we got to a place where people say pedophilia should be considered a sexual orientation. How we’ve gotten to a place where men and women, that we don’t know, have full access to the hearts and minds of our littles. Where we state we want to see change yet hand our 10, 11, and 12-year-olds cellphones and ignore the screaming warnings of those around us. Where we outsource the responsibility of protecting our most prized possession to a man-made “app” that is supposed to filter predators and keep them safe!
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I read story after story of girls who were sold by their own families. Of teens who were targeted on social media and gaming apps and their parents didn’t realize until it was too late. I read statistics that state 42% of 14-year-olds with cell phones have been asked for a nude photo. That’s almost half… that makes my stomach turn.
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I am heartbroken over the statistics. I am heartbroken that we pretend it isn’t happening under our noses. I am heartbroken that most of the children I know carry the risk of sexual exploitation in their pocket and we justify it for the sake of them “being accepted”, “staying connected with friends”, and “entertainment”. I am just heartbroken.
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The saddest part is that we know how we got here. We are a generation of people who no longer value human life. We view children as a burden and difficulty. They keep us from climbing the corporate ladder. They keep us from “living our lives”. They keep us from a stupid meaningless video game on our phone. They cost too much, they cry too much, they need too much. WHEN WILL WE SEE CHILDREN AS A GENEROUS GIFT FROM OUR LOVING FATHER?
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As with everything in life, REAL CHANGE STARTS AT HOME. Praying with and for your children daily! Changing how we speak about children. Changing how we speak to our children. Changing the boundaries we set for our kids and phones. BEING IN YOUR KIDS BUSINESS! Eating dinner together without phones or tv. TALKING to your children about the risks of communicating with people they don’t know. Praying for the Holy Spirit to guide you. Then, second guessing EVERYTHING that your gut says isn’t right. Praying for your kids secrets to get found out so you can address risk before they become harmful.
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God has blessed us and tasked us with raising the next generation of Christ-followers. We must do better!
Children are God’s love-gift; they are heaven’s generous reward. Psalms 127:3
