The book of Titus talks at length about the need for Christians to influence a younger generation in what is right and good. We are called to model saying “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:12). We live in a world that can turn everything that is right and good upside down for kids. What is good is called evil, and what is evil is called good. If we do not talk, nurture, and walk alongside our kids, they will be left to their own devices.
“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20
With the increase of technology in the lives of young people comes a host of concerns. We hear a great deal about the risks of sexting, unwelcomed advances by adults, pornography, social media addiction, and cyber-bullying. Yes, they all are issues that are occurring at record-breaking numbers. There are reasons to be cautious introducing social media and technology too early and without solid oversight. Adults are unwisely accepting it as a rite of passage or as a necessity for kids and teens.
However, the greater concern we are not talking about as much is the progressive eradication of positive, mature, adult influences. Young people are parenting and raising each other. They are in school together, they are in extracurricular activities together, they are coming home and online together, on social media together, gaming together, texting together. They are rarely disconnected from their peer group.
