Musings from Mrs. D: On Coral Reefs (Part 1)

Coral is a marine invertebrate in class Anthozoa, phylum Cnidaria. This phylum is very diverse, and Includes jellyfish and corals. The word Cnidaria comes from the Greek word cnidos meaning “stinging nettle.” Even casually brushing against cnidarians leads to a tactile experience that quickly reinforces the meaning of the name as the nematocysts fire poisoned barbs into the intruder.

This summer a number of Living Science students joined my “Sticky Kids Club” and followed a Bible reading program designed to help them STICK to Jesus. I felt compelled to lead them in this because of a short phrase that jumped right out of Jude as I was reading:

“These are HIDDEN REEFS…” (Jude 12, NASB)

The passage is talking about false teachers who lead unsuspecting believers astray through deceptive means. Jude compares these false teachers to hidden coral reefs that will destroy ships that come too close.

Our society is growing more and more coral reefs designed to shipwreck your kids.  I want to identify three very important reefs parents need to avoid.

Think of the 18 years you have with your precious children as a marine adventure that entails snorkeling through a dense coral reef garden. In order to survive the experience, your children must have faith in the guide; they need to feel loved and safe with the guide; and they absolutely must obey the rules laid down by the guide in order to come out of the reef alive and in one piece. If you have ever been snorkeling or deep sea diving you know the beauty of the underwater world, but you also know the hidden dangers lurking behind each and every piece of coral.

The first reef we must avoid is the Absence of Faith Reef.

The Guide is, of course The LORD!  Dad, Mom, please DO NOT neglect your personal relationship with The Lord Jesus. Your children are watching you. If you do not make your relationship a priority and you do not demonstrate that your faith is REAL no matter what the circumstances, you have blinded the eyes of the children you love to a catastrophic reef. It takes FAITH to navigate uncharted waters. If you do not have a growing vibrant faith, your children will most likely follow your daily pattern and they will hit this coral reef. When hard things happen, and they will, your children need to know how to swim around the reef.

I pray you are forming pictures in your mind. It is YOUR FAITH that will help them come to their own FAITH in the ONLY ONE who can lead them around the reefs of life. THIS IS A BIG DEAL… look at the world into which they are sailing. I hope I have your attention. Grow your Faith and show your children how to do the same.

In my next post, I’ll share another reef you want to avoid.