How do we care for the up-and-coming next generation of Americans?
PRAY FIRST for the nation’s state and federal leaders as they create policies and laws to protect and guide the children of America.
And Jesus took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” – Mark 9:36-37
For the majority of American history, the federal government, states, religious groups, and culture at large have been locked in a tense battle over the balance of government oversight, religious freedom, the liberty for parents to raise up children the way they best see fit, and the need protect the young minds from those who wish to do them harm.
Train Up a Child
In their early years, children are sponges, absorbing everything around them. Their parents are the most impactful, acting as the primary source of information and guidance, shaping ideas about right and wrong and how the world works. This initial alignment fosters a sense of security and belonging.
Technology has created a significant generation gap where children can be exposed to many different ideas from just one small device like a phone or tablet. Even when content is labeled specifically for children, creators of shows and apps can insert ideas and concepts from their perspectives, intentionally or unintentionally, adjusting how children see the world around them.
As children get older, their social circles expand. They encounter peers, educators, and media that introduce new ideas and challenge existing ones. This exposure can lead to a shift in perspective as children create their own identities and try to fit in. We must pray for the children of America as they are at the forefront of a battle they don’t even realize exists, to control their minds, bodies, and souls.
Mind
Parents have a difficult job in keeping their children safe from being exposed to harmful and scarring imagery and content. Research reports that 75% of children have viewed pornography by the age of 17, and the average age they first viewed it was 12. Despite overwhelming statistics highlighting how this type of exposure impacts developing minds, lawmakers have been slow to implement requirements upon companies to be stringent about who can view pornographic and violent content.
Once safe havens for general learning, many schools have now assumed the responsibility to promote sex and gender ideologies upon students. This includes access to literature, visual aids, and discussions that impress more on our children than in any previous generation. Most parents disapprove and say that the schools are overstepping, but school districts and boards seem to ignore them and refuse to change.
Whether explicit or “educational,” many children are exposed to things at much too young an age. As of now, 17 states have either passed or introduced bills requiring age verification for websites that contain pornography or content deemed “harmful to minors.” Our children don’t have a voice yet to speak up. We must be their voice and seek to protect their minds.
Body
Gender-affirming care is a term used to describe medical treatments for individuals who identify as transgender and non-binary and are experiencing gender dysphoria. Many major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, support this and deem it necessary.
Advocates claim that medical procedures can be life-saving, especially for youth. However, there is a dichotomy when applying the standards of health, safety, developmental vulnerability, and informed consent that are used to prevent children from accessing things like cigarettes, alcohol, or tattoos.
Arkansas and Alabama have passed legislation altogether banning transgender treatments for minors, including hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and gender-affirming surgery. However, legal challenges have put these laws in limbo.
Arizona, Tennessee, Texas, and Florida have effectively issued partial bans on gender-affirming care for minors.
Montana, Idaho, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Louisiana, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Georgia have also passed laws restricting transgender treatments for minors.
A recent survey shows that only 22% of voters support minors having access to some type of medical treatment, while 64% are against it. Social media sites, pundits, and some medical experts continue to push for change in contrast to what the Bible teaches. We must pray for leaders in other states to take up legislation to protect children from life-altering changes and for voters in those states to call for and support them.
Soul
A former NFL player and popular Christian athlete, Tim Tebow, recently testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance. During his emotional testimony, he highlighted the urgent need to combat child sexual exploitation and human trafficking. He urged Congress to fund a rescue team specifically dedicated to identifying and locating child victims of sexual abuse. Tebow asked, “Why would we not give as much, if not more resources, to those fighting for these children?”
The proposed legislation would aim to enhance the capability to identify and rescue the over 50,000 unidentified children who are currently being abused. Tebow emphasized that thousands of children in our backyard are “starving for hope.”
Children who are rescued from these horrific situations are often facing years of adjustment and care as they struggle to begin living a “normal” life. Many victims may grow and perpetuate a cycle that mimics their experiences as children. We must seek to break that cycle before it even begins. We must pray for God to shine light into the darkness and bring peace to everyone affected. And again, we must be the voice to speak for hurting children.
Praying for America’s Children
For several decades, we have seen further acceptance of non-biblical values becoming mainstream in our country. These are attacks on our faith, traditions, and families–and they seep into our children’s lives, threatening to pull them away. America needs a revival of faith and for citizens to stand up and be a voice for our children when they don’t have one.
Special note: The legal landscape is constantly shifting. A diligent effort was put into gathering the most current information as of this writing.
HOW THEN SHOULD WE PRAY:
— Pray for the children of America as they are at the forefront of a battle that they don’t even realize exists, to control their minds, bodies, and souls. Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
— Pray for leaders at state levels to take up legislation that protects children from life-altering changes, explicit materials, and enhances law enforcement groups to assist abused and trafficked children. Pray for voters in those states to call for and support them. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Psalm 127:3-4
CONSIDER THESE ITEMS FOR PRAYER:
- Pray for those in our government to seek ways to protect and defend the nation’s youth and those who do not yet have a voice.
- Pray for God to guide those who are speaking up and calling on the nation for action.
- Pray for wisdom for parents as they work diligiantly to care for the individual needs of their children and plan for their children’s future.
- Pray for Americans as we prepare to vote in this upcoming election and as our decisions will impact the nation for generations to come.
Sources: Pew Research, New York Times, CNN, AP News, Fox News, MSNBC, ACLU, The Hill
