Raising
Arrows
By Megan Clark
I
RECENTLY HEARD a mom discussing her parenting
methods. She believed it was wrong to address some spir-
itual issues with children, namely, demons and Satan. Her
reasoning? Talking about evil would develop an unhealthy
curiosity in children, make them want to practice it, and
ultimately draw them away from God. I remember having
to intentionally compose my facial expression so as not to
register my complete bafflement over that thought process.
When I work with my kids in the kitchen, I make sure
they learn how to boil water safely. I teach them the boiling
point, discuss the different states of water, and then make
sure they know the dangers that could result from boiling
water or steam on the skin. Never once did my discussing
boiling water make them want to try to stick their hand in it.
It certainly didn’t develop a curiosity in them to try. I armed
them with knowledge and the ability to use it for productive
outcomes like rice and pasta with a healthy respect for what
it could do if they didn’t practice safety. They are definitely
not too young to learn the dangers in the kitchen and even
more so, learn the dangers of a very real enemy.
This entire life, from birth to death, is a choice between
light and dark, good and evil, life and death. We have a
very real enemy seeking to kill, steal, and destroy from the
moment of conception.
“For we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against
evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against
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mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in
the heavenly places. Therefore put on the full armor of God,
so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand
your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand”
Ephesians 6:12-13.
Our children desperately need to know there is a power in
this world that is actively engaged in ensuring their defeat of
growing in Christ. They are not too young to learn how to
fight this enemy and use the armor and weapons with which
their Father in heaven has provided them.
When a candidate enters into a debate with his opponent,
he has made sure to prepare with a healthy dose of oppo-
sition research. While the main focus is to know exactly
where and why you stand on the issues and how to defend
them, it is also essential to know the views of your opponent
and how he may use your stance against you or attack you
with his viewpoints. Not only do you know your opponent
by name, you know how he’s going to fight.
To enter a debate, test, mission, or battlefield complete-
ly unprepared is a mark of foolishness. You better believe
from the moment your baby starts hearing you talk about
His need for a Savior, there is an assault on him being
able to take that to heart. And when that child prayer-
fully decides to make a personal decision to make God
the Lord of their lives, he then is marked for full-out war
against the enemy. Our “least of these” need to be prayed