Conformity, Part 1

Then a herald cried aloud: "To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." Dan 3:4-6 (NKJV)

I think that it is safe to say that most people bow down before the dictates of the culture without giving it a second thought. We indulge and consume what the culture skillfully lays before us before considering the implications of what we are participating in. Like frogs in the kettle we are slowly lulled into a false sense of security never realizing that we are being cooked by the values of a culture headed in the wrong direction.

Young minds are the most susceptible to the pressure of conformity, and many Christian parents were not aware of the real dangers and the full impact of the cultural influence on their children until their children were in full-blown rebellion. The real challenge for Christian parents is this: How can you effectively pass your faith and values down to your children without being sabotaged by the influence of world that surrounds them?

There are probably two actions that Christian parents will need to consider: Firstly, we must limit the exposure of our children to those things that pose danger to them. Having a "whatever-it-takes" mentality in eliminating unwanted influences. Secondly, we must be much more pro-active in exposing them to a list of influences and experiences that are good, pure, right, positive, spiritual, productive and meaningful. (We cannot send our children to public schools, take them to church a couple of times a week and assume that they will be "OK." It will demand more time, energy, interaction and discernment than that!) Ultimately, we want to raise children who take a stand when the music of the culture begins to play, who absolutely refuse to bend or bow. May the Lord help us and guide in raising children who are unwilling to be "Conformed to the pattern of this world."

Prayer: "Dear heavenly Father, please hear my prayer for the generation of children that are in the church today. Give us the wisdom so that we know how to effectively raise them up to be followers of Christ; and give us the courage to stand against the cultural influences that we know to be detrimental to their walk with You. We desire our children and grandchildren to be a part of a mighty revival that sweeps around the world. We want them to a spiritual salt that challenges and changes the culture! Amen"