Insulated or Isolated?

At the D6 Conference I attended last year, Fred Luter (Pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans) made a statement that has stuck with me ever since. He said, "We can't isolate kids from the culture, but we can insulate them with God's Word." Isn't that a marvelous thought? Kids are going to grow up in the culture around us, and isolating them from everything is nearly impossible. Unless you lock them in their bedroom and board up the windows and don't allow any sort of electronic device to permeate the perimeter...but one day, they'll grow up and have to face the "big bad world", and will they be equipped? That's why I think what Pastor Luter said is brilliant...instead of putting our kids into isolation until Jesus returns, we as parents, grandparents, children's and youth ministers can work diligently at "insulating" the young people in our lives with the word of God.

Let's teach our kids how to handle disappointment and conflict in a biblical and godly manner. Let's teach them the importance of loving God with all that's in us and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Let's teach them the importance of mission and giving. Let's teach them what it means to live a righteous and holy life in love with a righteous and holy God.

Consider Jesus' words in His prayer on the night before He would be crucified:

"I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth."

Jesus definitely was not asking the Father to isolate His disciples...He was asking to insulate them, to keep them from the evil one, to sanctify them (to be set apart)...and this is all wrapped up, could we say "insulated", in the truth...God's word.

So, bottom line? Make sure your kids are well-insulated! Permeate their lives with the word of God (along with your own life!) Teach them what it means to wear the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). And most importantly, make following Christ a lifestyle that infiltrates every corner of life.

Cool Gifts for Your Kids

Christmas is coming, and you might still have some shopping to do! I'd love to give you some suggestions of really cool Bibles and devotionals for your kiddos.

Preschoolers will enjoy the Read and Share Bible and its bright pictures and simple stories. It's a great way to introduce children to some of the more well-known accounts from the Bible.

For younger kids, check out the Adventure Bible. It's geared for elementary students, and has a lot of fun "extras" inside that kids will be drawn to.

I love the God and Me Devotions for Girls and the Gotta Have God Devotions for Boys. These books are fun just to look at! I also like the fact that they're broken into three age categories: 2-5, 6-9, and 10-12. So your child will get to interact with scripture in a way that makes it relevant for their age and some of the things they're facing in life.

If you've got kids who enjoy comic books and that kind of artwork, the Action Bible and the Action Bible Devotional will be right up their alley! The narrative in these books is rooted in scripture, and the pictures are colorful and captivating. I recently handed a copy to a junior high boy, and his eyes widened as he looked through the pages, and he pronounced it "cool".  :-)

Along similar lines is the Manga Bible. If you've got kids who are interested in all things Asian and Manga, this will definitely appeal to them!

Finally, you have GOT to check out the What's in the Bible DVD series. This is like the Muppets meet the Veggie Tales. It's created by Phil Vischer (the creative mind behind Veggie Tales), and it takes learning about the Bible to a whole new level. (If you sign up for their newsletter, you'll receive all sorts of great sales and deals throughout the year!)