How Much Should We 'Filter' in a Bad News World? | Marriage & Family

[Also: My Marriage to an Undocumented Immigrant] Also: My Marriage to an Undocumented Immigrant | [View online]( [ChristianityToday.org]( [Beautiful Word Newsletter]( Thursday, January 18, 2018 How Much Should We 'Filter' in a Bad News World? I'm pretty careful about "filtering" the news when my kids are around (especially my youngest). Part of my job as their parent is to protect their developing thought-lives (Phil. 4:8) and help guard their hearts (Prov. 4:23). I don't want their minds to be filled with today's seemingly endless stream of horrors: threats of nuclear war, racist gatherings, terrorist attacks, teen suicides, sex trafficking, poverty, environmental degradation, and on and on and on. Yet I'm cognizant of the fact that there's a dangerous side to too much sheltering, filtering, and protecting: fostering naiveté (at best) and ignorance (at worst). Raising Christian kids means raising young people who care about God's world—his created world and the people therein. To truly care, we need to know about the suffering of others; in order to live justly and love mercy (Micah 6:8), we must be informed regarding evil, injustice, and oppression. This isn't a question just for current events; it's also woven into how we talk about the past. In today's [featured article]( Amy Julia Becker explores "How do we talk about human history—both the evil and the good—as our kids come of age? When do we tell the unadorned truth, and when do we filter?" For example, as Becker discusses, how ought we talk with children about the treatment of Native Americans and the conquest of North American lands? Often the horrors of the past weave into the ongoing challenges of the present. Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day this week, for example, provides an opportunity for us as parents not just to talk about what King and others accomplished in the past, but also to honestly and prayerfully reflect on what is happening in our world today. How much to share about past or present evils—and how frankly to share it—must be decided discerningly by each parent for each child as they grow and mature. Becker suggests "gently guid[ing] kids from simple to complex truth." Some of you may take a different approach. As parents, we live in a seeming tension between Philippians 4:8 and Micah 6:8; may we seek God's strength and wisdom as we strive to both protect and empower our growing children. Grace, mailto:tcw@christianitytoday.com [Kelli Trujillo](mailto:tcw@christianitytoday.com) [Kelli B. Trujillo](mailto:tcw@christianitytoday.com) Editor, CT Women Sponsored by Tyndale [Press Pause & Live LIFE]( Time is flying by with our kids! Want to teach Biblical truths to help your teens and tweens with their future decision making? You still have time! Here's how... Featured Article [Hiding the Full Truth from Kids Is Often Healthy]( As our children come of age, how do we talk about the brutal realities of a broken world? Amy Julia Becker Additional Articles [My Marriage to an Undocumented Immigrant]( I lived with the threat of my husband's deportation. Here's what I learned about immigration. Sarah Quezada, guest writer [What Student Ministry Really Needs? Homework.]( Teens should take Bible study as seriously as school and sports practice. Jen Wilkin More from CT Women [Why I've Spent Half My Life Helping North Korea]( [Why I've Spent Half My Life Helping North Korea]( Despite political and military tensions in the region, the director of Christian Friends of Korea is committed to medical ministry. Interview by Morgan Lee [Hiding the Full Truth from Kids Is Often Healthy]( [Hiding the Full Truth from Kids Is Often Healthy]( As our children come of age, how do we talk about the brutal realities of a broken world? Amy Julia Becker Related CT Newsletters [CT Entertainment]( Reviews and perspectives on movies, TV, and music. [Sign Up Now]( [CT Weekly]( Weekly headlines, commentary, and site news. 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