Neighborhood kids laughed along with David B as he taunted my little sister. The fighter in me grabbed the baseball bat by the swing set. Standing as tall as my eight year old self could, I commanded the bully to leave my sister alone. And then we ran home.
Getting caught in a fight is nothing new to childhood, but watching riots play out in parks is the new norm. This year words like “angry, volatile, intense, and brutality” claim regular space in our conversations. “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9)
Rioting isn’t new. This weekend marked the 100th night of violent riots in Portland, Oregon – my new home state. Any initial virtuous intent has been overcome by violence. Misunderstanding is only ever a spoken or written phrase away in our current climate, and bullies like David B do not hesitate to start fights. Children need us to teach them about the rules of rioting.
God’s Word has a lot to say about conflict. It guides us in response to hard things, even unjust things. Home is the first place we practice the rules of engagement. No parent would let tantrums go unanswered in the home. The age level of a child largely determines the depth to which we instruct them or interact with them about questions of peace and protest.
If we don’t address the rules of rioting, the culture of conflict will. With opinions and issues changing at the speed of a Tweet, we need an unchanging, reliable source for guidance.
Be KIND
On the 100th day of violence, an official said people were “engaging in tumultuous and violent conduct.” This is the opposite of being kind. It’s embracing the intent to damage people and things people value. “Tumultuous and violent” conduct destroys the opportunity to find understanding or experience peace. Instead, it deceives by giving the angry one the impression they’ll get their peace by getting their way when they put down the other person. This must be why the Bible cautions us, “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare,” (Proverbs 22:24-25). One day our kids will find themselves facing a bully or a riot. Aligning with anger is a trap.
Instead of allowing anger to fuel our actions, scripture directs us to, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you,” (Ephesians 4:32) treating others the way we want to be treated (Matthew 7:12).
Be TRUE
So much bully fuel comes from what’s false. “Whoever speaks the truth declares what is right, but a false witness speaks deceit,” (Proverbs 12:17). When we join in actions based on untruth, we set ourselves up to be deceived. To equip the next generation with the critical thinking skills and wisdom to make decisions, they need to know where to turn for truth. We can’t rely on changing opinions today. But God’s Word isn’t just a book of opinions. A writer in the Book of Psalms wrote, “The entirety of your word is truth, each of your righteous judgments endures forever,” (Psalm 119:160).
Whatever their age, children wonder what’s true. While processing and discussing anger around us, played out in parks and streets where violence reigns, one timeless rule for rioting is to ask, “What’s true?”
Be LOYAL
Today’s children want to prove themselves loyal. But who will they be loyal to? Who will be loyal to them? How will they know whether to join David B and mock the small or speak their truth (not sure I needed the baseball bat …) and walk (run!) away? It’s not easy to know. If it was easy, I doubt such a moment of confrontation would be so deeply imprinted in my memory. In today’s world, the cost of being loyal may be played out on social media for all to see. Choosing against the flow can be social suicide. How will our children know who deserves their loyalty? Loyalty may be life’s greatest lesson.
The rules for rioting come from God’s Word. It says that for those who have decided their loyalty is to God Himself, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20). This means we show respect to those who govern us (Romans 13:1). By being cooperative and peaceful, we honor the One with ultimate authority, whose position will never expire. By being kind and true, we live loyally to the One with no term limits or party,
Be BRAVE
Violence, brutality, and riots are frightening. Some children have been shielded from more exposure and knowledge than they’re ready to process. But honestly … who’s ready to process destruction?
In a time when people already feel mindful of our vulnerability due to an unseen Virus enemy, our fragility is compounded by nightly news of conflict. We all need to be brave.
The Bible is a book of courage – courage for finding peace in a world thriving on conflict. So what does God say to us when we stand as tall as we can and look David B in the eye as he taunts us and rallies others to taunt too? God says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
It’s going to be rough in our kids’ lifetime. They may find themselves in a riot, and we can’t stop that. They need to know God’s rules for the moments we would never wish on them. Be kind. Be true. Be loyal. Be brave.
And that goes for grown-ups too.
The ABCs of Praying for Students is a character-based devotional to help loving grown-ups pray intentionally for the little (or not so little!) learners in their life. You can find it HERE on Amazon or find accessories at Christenprice.com. You can also get a digital copy of The ABCs of Praying for Students in a Pandemic HERE. It’s a set of 5 devotions and companion pieces (A prayer/scripture/table talk/activity ideas) written for schooling and learning needs in the Pandemic.
