Permissible vs. Beneficial

'Everything is permissible'- but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible'- but not everything is constructive.” I Corinthians 10:23

Everyone rated video games. Imagination Movers. Cars. Disney princesses. Clifford The Big Red Dog. Is there anything inherently evil about any of these things? Probably not. Most parents would probably say, 'well, I don't let my daughter watch THAT show or play THAT video game or go see THAT movie.'

While there is nothing inherently evil about any of these things, I have to question the benefit of many of them. Before I get written off as a crazy person, I do believe there is a balance. Really, I do. I would describe my own childhood as a blend of both secular and sacred forms of learning. Yes, I watched “The Letter People” and “Lambchops Sing-A-Long”, but I also watched “The Red Nose Express” that taught me stealing is wrong and learned songs like “why do I do the things I do and who do I do them for?” I played normal games like Hi-Ho-Cherry-O and Hungry, Hungry Hippos, but I also played Bible trivia games and got cool little Bible quiz books that you colored the answer with a special marker and it would tell you if you got the answer right or wrong. (Man I MISS those!) I did watch Disney movies and had Disney princess books, but I also learned of women like Ruth, Deborah, and Rahab- women who God used to do great things for Him. Sure, I read Clifford The Big Red Dog and Ramona, Ramona, but I also read other books such as the Boxcar children that taught me strong moral lessons.

I believe part of my job, and part of what maybe God is preparing me for further down the road, is to wrestle with this question. Everything I add or don't add to a child's Sunday morning worship time is critiqued and thought of long before it actually happens. I view everything that will be showed, pray about it, and critique curriculum after curriculum. I, in a way, am my own worst critic.

A few months back, a friend of mine's daughter told me her memory verse: “Thank you for the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” She is 3. Another friend of mine's son, while I was getting him ready for bed, began doing the prayer postures he sees his Muslim mother do 5 times a day. He is 2. A little girl at VBS this summer quoted Romans 10:9 to me. Word perfect. She's 4.

Often times it is hard for me to believe- that a child who is 2 or 3 has the capacity to do any one of those things. They can learn an entire song, they can quote a scripture verse, they can do all of the prayer postures required. I have learned that a child's learning capacity starts long before many people, including parents, even realize it. My nephews often mimic me. They do what I do. They say what I say.

One thing I know and that I believe with my whole heart is it is not the job of the church to teach spiritual truths to my child. It is my God-given responsibility, and the church is there to partner with me and to offer support as I train my children in the way they should go.

If it is my responsibility, I want to be intentional about it. Sure everything is permissible- but is everything beneficial?

Interested in hearing your thoughts.


PS. I showed a Cars clip in children's church on Sunday. I have one scheduled to show for this entire video series. I wouldn't be showing it if I didn't believe the tie-in to the lesson is extremely valuable in making the connection with the kids. The kids sat there and quoted the entire clip word for word. I guess the point is, did they make the connection? Yes. At the end of the day, every single kid told me what I had said word for word after the clip. Was it beneficial? Yes.