Teaching Kids to Face Their Fears

It is a scary world out there, isn't it? When I was in school "bad" kids shot out windows and put holes in stop signs. Now kids shoot each other -- and not just in Jonesboro. Gang and drug violence has come to many of our schools, and our children know it. What can we say to our children about the sheer terror that comes with going "out there" every day?

Let us urge our children to learn from the example of Jesus. Many have noticed W.W.J.D. bracelets many young people are wearing. Those initials stand for What Would Jesus Do. The idea is that the wearer will think about how Christ would handle a situation and try to act the same. That is a good idea, isn't it? So what would Jesus do if faced with today's wave of crime and violence?

First, we should remind our children Jesus knows about violence and crime. Our Lord lived in rough times. Violence was a reality. Roman law ruled and protected citizens --in some ways and on occasion. Bandits and thieves were common. Life was cheap. Traveling was dangerous. It was the kind of society where Jesus could tell a story about man getting mugged and nearly killed on a road between Jerusalem and Jericho and no one jumped up to say "That would never happen." While we imagine that our times are bad we don't have to deal with the high degree of political corruption that went on Jesus' day. Everyone from governors to soldiers to tax collectors was often on the take and that seriously tilted the scales of justice. Ordinary people were often done great harm and had no recourse of any kind.

However, Jesus didn't just live in a violent society. He experienced violence. As a newborn baby His parents were forced to flee the country lest Jesus be killed by Herod (Matt. 2:13ff). During His life and ministry His enemies attempted to kill Him several times (see John 8:59; Luke 4:28-29). After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead the opposition to Him became so concerned they decided to murder Jesus at all costs, and planning and scheming to take His life went forward from that moment (John 11:53). One of Jesus' friends and a man who He had great respect for, John the Baptist, was murdered by Herod Antipas (Mark 6:16ff). Of course, ultimately Jesus Himself became a crime victim when the Jews engineered His "execution" at the hands of the Romans. It was little more than a carefully contrived assassination. Jesus knows about our fears of violence.

Second, we should remind our children to take reasonable precautions -- just as Jesus did. Jesus knew of the plans being made against Him and exercised care in where He went: "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him" (John 7:1). During the last week of His life He was determined to eat the Last Supper with His apostles. He knew, however, that if Judas could find out the Supper's location he would tell the authorities who would use the occasion to arrest Jesus. To make certain that did not happen Jesus took elaborate precautions to see to it Judas didn't know where the Supper was, and thus they could eat it together in peace (see Luke 19:29ff). Jesus was not a fool. He did not blunder around, falling directly into traps and being executed before His earthly work was done.

Let us teach our children to be as wise. It is sad that we need to talk of "stranger danger" or how to recognize drugs and drug paraphernalia so they can flee situations where such is being used. However, wishing that times were better won't protect your child. We must educate our children to say "No" to drugs, choose good friends and avoid evil companions, pay attention when they are walking on the street and even what to do if a stranger accosts them. Our children must do as Jesus did -- take reasonable precautions.

Third, we must teach our children that we cannot let our fears keep us from functioning. Yes, Jesus was threatened. Yes, people wanted to kill Him. Did such stop Him? Absolutely not. He took all necessary precautions and then continued about His important business. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He could look across the Kidron Valley and see the mob coming to arrest Him, Jesus still prayed and fortified Himself to face what He had to do (Luke 22:39ff). Jesus was no coward. He refused to run and hide under the bed. He entrusted Himself to the Father and then went forward with the business of life. He never mindlessly advocated violence as the solution to everything (see Luke 22:49ff), nor did He shirk from opportunities to teach the Gospel just because danger might have been involved.

Today it may not be pleasant to face our world, but face it we must. We do the best we can to be safe. We pray and ask God's blessings and providential care upon us, and know that He will care for us. Then what do we do? We go forward to do what life calls upon us to do. We go and do and speak and act, even if some degree of danger is involved. Life was dangerous for Jesus but He never ran from it. So must we. That is part of doing like Jesus did.

Our hearts are broken at the tragedies that occur every day in schools and streets all across America. Unfortunately, such is the reality of the times we live in. Using Jesus' example we can fortify our kids to face their fears.