What are you feeding your children?

Deuteronomy 11:19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Good evening family and Happy President’s Day!

Many years ago, I purchased a song by a singer named Eminem (Don’t judge…) :). It’s been a long while since I’ve listened to it, but recently, I was driving home from work and for some reason this song started playing from my phone. I was excited to hear it, so I raised the volume. However, as he began to sing, I heard a curse word. Wait a minute, I thought. I don’t remember that. Then as the song continued, I heard it a few more times and it made me feel uncomfortable, so I turned it off. On another occasion, I decided to see what was in my CD player on my way home. Like with Eminem’s song, it had been ages since I’d listened to a CD, and, in particular, this freestyle song. Again, I raised the volume expecting to enjoy the music of my youth, except I wasn’t. Instead of curse words, the words of this song devalued women. So again, I turned it off.

Reflecting on these songs made me think about my son. I would not have thought twice about playing these songs in front of him before. It made me think about how many songs, movies, TV shows or conversations we have inadvertently exposed (or even are still exposing) our children to. Are we exposing them to things that will teach them to honor one another? Are we teaching them in a way that God would want us to teach them?

I have seen many horrors in my life and sadly, my son will be exposed to some of these things in his life. But while he is still growing, I only want to feed him the best spiritual food I can, while I can, so that he can be spiritually prepared for the dark things that he will be exposed to in this world.