A BROKEN WORLD...

 We live in a broken world.  The latest evidence of this is the viral video going around of a dude who committed suicide on facebook live, and has been circulating on various social media platforms for the last week.  My son saw this video, and never said a word to my wife or I about it.  It is GRAPHIC.

When I was a teenager, if you wanted to see crap like this, you had to search far and wide at the local video rental store, maybe in the "Adult" section, for Faces of Death tapes.  Now any child with a smart phone can access the most gruesome, horrific content with a tap and a swipe.  I wonder just how much my son has seen, at the age of 15...

As a youth leader at my church, a wrestling coach, a dad, I struggle to even grasp the enormity of the impact that the complete access we enjoy today has on our kids.  Violence, death, pornography, the very worst this world has to offer, and our children share the same access we have.  If you're a parent, I pray that you have a relationship with your kids that fosters discussion on this stuff.  My son is very open with us, he will talk with us about anything, even though we usually have to ask (as opposed to him just giving it up), and for that we are blessed.  But how many kids in this country suffer in broken homes, distant or disconnected parents, and lean into social media for connection?  Because that is where the Enemy lies in wait, using that brokenness as a conduit to steer children away from God and into darkness...

There wasn't really a firm point to this post, maybe I will have something a little more helpful or meaningful later, but I just wanted to share my feelings on this stuff, as I am more than a little broken-hearted about the whole thing.  I leave it with a prayer for now:

Heavenly Father, please protect the hearts of those who need you so much.  Give parents and families the wisdom and discernment to courageously educate, defend and lift up their children.  Please continue to empower your followers with strong hearts and powerful love, that they would stand in your Word, and be free from the sin and shame that this broken world brings to our doorstep and into our homes.  Thank you for sending your Son to redeem us all, and for the full armor of God.  In your Son's holy name, we pray these things.

Ephesians 6:10-18

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 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. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.