Family Matters

When I was younger, the thought of things happening that were out of my control crippled me with fear. I wasn’t ever really sure how I would react if I was in some sort of emergency situation, especially when there seemed to be a tragic news story involving children my age. I didn’t know how to handle emergency situations or rationalize the idea that God cares for a world that has bad things in it.

So how are we as parents supposed to handle preparing our children for the unknown that might and will arise?

The prophet Isaiah’s vision from the Lord included this in Chapter 41:9-10:

“…You are my servant,

I have chosen you and not cast you off”;

fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

This passage isn’t telling us “we should simply walk blindly through life because God’s got us”, there are ways we can put our faith in the Lord and be proactive about emergency situations.

Parents – have honest conversations about emergency situations like car accidents, injuries and other possibilities, not to place worry in your child’s heart, but to help talk them through action plans. When I was in elementary school, I remember my mom talking me through what to do if our house caught on fire and where we would meet on our street. When I started riding the bus home, she taught me what to do if there was something wrong with the bus. And when I started driving, she walked me through all of the many situations that could arise while behind the wheel. She even made me learn how to change a tire before I could start driving myself to school.

This idea makes me think of Abraham in Genesis 15. He didn’t understand how to handle God’s promise that he would be the father of a great, chosen nation, but God reassured Abraham that he was going to make a way – not always a simple one – for this covenant to be fulfilled.

The Lord doesn’t desire for us to be fearful of the unknown, He wants us to walk in His strength so we can share His gospel. Help prepare your children so they can be a testament to what Jesus has done in their hearts and remind them that God is good and sovereign, even in hard or scary situations.