“Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth…”  Ps. 86:11a

I remember a story not long ago about a student who was told by his principal and two teachers at his middle school that he was not allowed to wear a t-shirt he had on because it was ‘offensive’. What was so offensive to these school authorities? His t-shirt read, VIRGINITY ROCKS!

What makes something like this so disturbing is that not only is it inconceivable that something good should be considered “offensive” in our schools but that it is not an isolated situation. This incident is representative of the pervasive anti-truth, anti-moral attitude sweeping through America’s schools and culture today.  As grandparents it is difficult for us to fathom how a message like this student’s t-shirt could be “offensive” to anyone. That only highlights what a different world it is than the one of our childhood. 

How should we, as grandparents, respond to the morality void that bombards our grandchildren from every direction? 

Shall we ignore it or stick our heads in the sand and hope it will go away?  Shall we viciously attack and make a big scene with school officials who pander to such nonsense?  Should we just leave this to the parents, or is there something we can do as grandparents? 

While there may be appropriate times for deliberate action, as was done in this case, we also need to consider proactive ways we can teach our children how to handle unjust situations. Grandparents ought to be effective parent-partners where possible to help this generation know how to keep a biblical perspective even when doing so leads to persecution. Incidents like this are powerful opportunities to begin dialogue with our children, grandchildren and others about what is true and how to graciously live as salt and light in today’s world. 

Here are some suggested questions we might want to use to engage our own grandchildren in a dialogue about such situations:

1. Do you think there was anything offensive about this student’s t-shirt? Why or why not?
2. If you were that student, how would you have reacted to the principal and the two teachers? How would your reaction have honored Christ?
3. How does I Peter 4:12-16 effect how you look at situations like this? What is the difference between suffering as a Christian and suffering for doing something wrong?

Jesus reminds his disciples that we will have trouble in this world. The world will hate those who follow Christ because it hates Him. He also told us not to be discouraged or lose heart because He has already overcome the world. 

It is not our battle to fight in the world—He has already done that and WON!  It is our job to stand firm, testify to the truth and compassionately share the Gospel through our words and actions. This would be a good time to stay alert to those teachable moments when you can ask your grandchildren questions like, “How would Christ want us to respond to those who try to attack what is good?” 

Read Colossians 4:5-6 and discuss what a life lived by these principles would look like.

GRANDPAUSE: “God never tells us to walk righteously before Him and live unrighteously before others… Who we are before Him and how we are before others are both important to God.”  – Roy Lessin