‘Son?  Yes Dad.  You’re getting it wrong.’  Powerful words said to me in that BlackBerry patch last week.

“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.  The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”  John 15:18-19. (NLT)

As I have so often written, I love how God has chosen to speak most loudly to me during those moments while picking blackberries.  I don’t know why and I no longer ask.  I excitedly anticipate and accept the process involved that positions me to best hear his voice.

This particular morning was a balmy 180 degrees (well maybe slightly cooler) and sweat prevailed.  This was a morning that I decided to not put my ear buds in and just listened to the birds singing and all of the beautiful sounds around me.  I was thinking how I can’t believe we’re a month away from school starting in East TN again.  Our son starting his senior year and daughters 11th and 8th grade.  An incredibly wonderful time in our family.  Each season with our kids has been amazing.

As I picked and thought of these things, God said “why are you not preparing your kids for a World against them?  Why are you focused on preventing what the enemy intends?”  Like most parents, our kids have experienced some type of bullying.  Like all parents who love their children, our response has been to protect, address and express our indignation at what our kids have experienced.  

Why are we surprised that this is occurring?  Jesus clearly told his followers (us) that this will happen.  This question led me to ask ‘are we preparing our kids to live in the knowledge, security and truth that is Jesus and God’s Word, or are we instilling in them a ‘victim mentality’ that is counter to everything Jesus teaches us?’  You see, there are no victims where victors roam.  And anyone who has been claimed by the Savior, can no longer be a victim.  They are the child of the Omnipotent King of all things and this broken World should have no hold on them.  Period!

“Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me.”  John 15:20-21 (NLT)

So, are we preparing our kids or are we creating an environment of prevention that is sure to limit.  David did not listen to Goliath’s insults against God’s army and reason, “I wonder how I can befriend him and get to the core issues of his life?”  He pick up a stone and slayed the giant because he was prepared.  He knew what he was capable of doing because of those lonely years sitting on a hillside tending those very stupid sheep.  The giant before him was nothing more than an ignorant vessel doing his best to limit those ordained by God.

“They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin.  Anyone who hates me also hates my Father.”  John 15:22-23 (NLT)

I am changing my discussions with our kids from prevention to love and preparedness.  I want, pray and expect our kids to be kind and loving to everyone they meet.  I also want them to be prepared in the knowledge that not everyone they meet will treat them as they are expected to treat others.  I intend to remind them that Jesus said about forgiveness, “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”  Matthew 18:22 (NLT)

“If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father.  This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: ‘They hated me without cause.’  John 15:24-25 (NLT)

My prayer for our kids and for Megan and I is that we don’t fit in, we stand up and out.  I pray that as His children, we stand up in the face of the worldly mob and boldly proclaim the name above all names.  That we live and introduce the hope and promise that is Jesus.  I pray that we reject ALL that the World says is important and reflect the love and joy that only comes from a personal, sold-out, 100% surrendered life to Jesus Christ.

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,”. Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

There’s much work to be done.  Time is short.  The armor of God is waiting to be filled by his kids.  Let’s unleash the love that lives within each of us.