Moral decisions... Spiritual consequences.

Moral obedience is a hallmark of most any world religion. In Hinduism moral obedience ultimately determines your reincarnation level, in Islam it gives hope to (but, no guarantee of) salvation, and in Buddhism it reflects your opinion of the universe and ultimately your level of enlightenment. And while, moral obedience plays a prominent role in Christianity, it is the doctrine of "Salvation by grace." that separates Christianity from all other religions. As Christians we firmly believe that salvation is not earned, it is a gift of God. And that gift, is given to anyone who believes in the divinity and resurrection of Jesus with everything they are (Rom. 10: 8-10). Moral obedience is then a response born out of love to God's grace. And, we are well aware that the commands of God in scripture are simply (by commonsense standards) good for us. There are commands that inform how we are supposed to treat one another in our personal relationships, spend our money, think of other people and their possessions, and even instructions for our political convictions. But, what role (if any) does our moral obedience have in preserving and even, strengthening our spiritual faith?

Simply, can our moral disobedience prove to be a destructive force in our belief and love of God? Or, in other words, can moral disobedience crumble the foundations of a once true and earnest love and commitment for God? The following article dives into the area of sexual obedience, and it's affect on our spiritual faith.

http://blogs.ancientfaith.com/twocities/had-sex-dumped-jesus/


*Remember, legalism is when we make following the rules the solution to our problem. Jesus (throughout the gospels) and Paul (in the book of Romans) are very clear that legalism is never the solution to our problem. It is the product of following Jesus, who is the solution to our problem.  

Some questions to follow the article up with:

1. What is the difference between obedience out of love, and leagalism?
2. How does legalism shape one's thinking on obedience? And, same question for obedience out of love.
3. Why do you think our moral obedience shapes what we believe about God?
4. How can a decision to walk in moral obedience to God, rebuild and strengthen our faith in God?
5. How can I encourage my teen to see the connection between moral obedience out of love, and the resulting spiritual encouragement? Also, how can I model it for them?

Media: What should I take in?

The topic of media consumption is a very relevant topic not only for our teens, but for us as adults as well. At any point in time I have a device that is connected to the internet on my person. And, can access any number of entertainment options from it. This is vastly different from the world I grew up in, in the 90's. Music could not be streamed instantly, movies could not be accessed on demand, and journals or books required paper. Yes, the internet was alive, well, and thriving in 1996. But, most of our tech was still tethered to the wall. My parents had a certain amount of tangible control over what I could or couldn't physically access. Today, the portability of tech makes that job harder for parents. What hasn't changed, is the need to teach our students to be discerning in what media to consume, and more importantly, how to consume it.

I am thankful that I grew up with parents and a youth pastor, that helped me sort through how to digest media. It saved me from taking in and being shaped by some real garbage (Christian and non-Christian). Yes, there is Christian media (movies, music, books, etc) that is absolute garbage and should not be digested. And yes, a good deal of it was (and, is) marketed at my local Christian bookstore. I was encouraged to ask questions of everything I was watching, listening to, and reading. Questions that would help me work through what's true, what's opinion, and what is noble, pure, and lovely.

Here is a great article with some great questions to ask before, while, and after consuming media.

Let's be parents who help our kids work through not only what, but also how to digest all media. 


If the link doesn't work, copy this into your browser of choice: http://reachstudents.blogs.efca.org/rated-r-for-wrong/

Dealing With Social Media Perceptions and Pressures

We've all been there. You're catching up on what you've missed in the last couple hours on your social media platform of choice, and all you're seeing is: perfect pictures, witty musings, and status updates that would make the Pope jealous. You probably find yourself  going in one of three directions:  

1. Motivated to out do your current social media pals with your next photo / post / update, and you blur the lines between truth and fiction. 
2. You get slightly (or, majorly) depressed at how boring / ordinary / generally unexciting your life is.  
3. You forsake all social media, declare it hollow and soulless, and go back to using Windows 95. 

OK, maybe the third option is a bit extreme, but I know as someone who has grown up with technology and uses social media, that I've experienced the first two at different points. Honestly, as I write this, in my mind, I'm rolling through the images on my instagram account and asking, "Truth or fiction?"

Now imagine being a teen and trying to process what's really going on behind all those posts, tweets, and pictures posted to any number of social media platforms they are taking in. That is a lot of perceptions and intentions to sort through. Especially, if you are trying to figure out who you are and what your life means.

Here is a great article to help us as parents of teens understand what's going on with our teen as they use social media. Especially, when their reaction to what's being posted is depression (mild or severe).

If the link doesn't work, copy this into your browser of choice:

http://www.cpyu.org/files/2014/10/CPYU-Trend-Alert-Facebook-Depression.pdf

Teen Culture And Resource Links

Ideas spread at an exceptional rate in the 21st century. As a result we are able to have greater perspectives on issues, share info more freely, and influence with a broader result. However, it also means that we are taking in more and more information, perspectives, and having to sort through it all. As parents it is a full time job to sort through all of the things that are relevant to you and your daily life, let alone sort through and keep up with the things your teen is sorting through. Here are some links to culture updates and resources that can help you, as you parent a teen.

All links are from www.CPYU.org. CPYU.org is run by Dr. Walt Mueller, and is a great resource for parents of teens and youth workers.

Culture Updates: These links are posted to help you be informed about what is being discussed in, and happening in the world of our teens.

• Frustrated with your teen's non-stop use of tech? Here are some thoughts on what's going on with them. http://now.uiowa.edu/2014/09/sometimes-adolescents-just-cant-resist

• Sexual health is always a hot topic. Here is what is being discussed nationally now.  http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pediatricians-birth-control-recommendations-for-teen-girls/  

 

• Sippin' Scissor? Find out what it is. http://www.wcyb.com/news/dirty-sprite-gains-popularity-among-teens/28236066

• Can't find your teen on FaceBook? Look in one of these other social media options. http://www.voxburner.com/publications/6761-12-alternative-social-media-to-consider

• Ever wonder who you teen subscribes to on YouTube? Check out this list for some top trending YouTube stars among teens. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/10-youtube-stars-your-kids-love? 

• Steve Jobs was a low tech parent. Yes, you read that right. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/11/fashion/steve-jobs-apple-was-a-low-tech-parent.html?_r=2

Check out more updates and topics here: http://www.digitalkidsinitiative.com/resources/research-news/



Resources: 

• Confused on what all that text lingo means? Here's a list of the harmless and not so harmless text abbreviations. http://www.digitalkidsinitiative.com/files/2012/01/text_acronyms1.pdf

• Trying to set some tech boundaries? Consider using this covenant: http://www.digitalkidsinitiative.com/files/2012/01/family_covenant.pdf

•  Need some help understanding/ dealing with cyber bullying? Here is a helpful resource: http://www.digitalkidsinitiative.com/files/2012/01/Cyberbully_handout.pdf