Teaching Your Children to Stand Strong Against the Enemy

Teaching Your Children to Stand Strong Against the Enemy

                                                             by Linda Gilden

There was a tremendous commotion in the chicken yard. I looked out the window to see a lone goose about 10 feet away from the coop fence. He was searching for bugs and basically minding his own business. But the chickens were not happy about the goose's presence.

The hens went under the coops or in the coop to the roosts. Once they were settled, the roosters each assumed a post nearby. In the door of each of the two henhouses sat a rooster. His body filled the open space, and the hens remained safely tucked inside.

How many times as a parent do we try to be the "rooster" for our children? We see some kind of perceived danger and immediately want to position ourselves between our children and that danger. But is that really the best thing for them?

The rooster remained in the door of the henhouse for quite a while. But then one of the "girls" decided she wanted to come out. The rooster stood, moved over just a little bit, and the hen squeezed by. From my vantage point, it looked like the rooster was pretty hesitant to leave his post and let the chicken by. But he rose and moved slightly to the side.

When parents are in a "rooster" situation, they have to make a decision. Should this be a teachable moment? Or is it a time to insist your children hide from the danger, thereby denying them the spiritual growth that would ensue from facing the challenge?

Ephesians 6:10 tells us "Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might."

Even a child can learn to stand strong against the enemy whether it is a bully at school, an unfair accusation or a goose in the yard.

Make sure you instill Scripture into the hearts of your children every time you can so that when the "goose" comes into their  yard, your children can stand strong on the Word of God.