Wise as snakes

Guest Post by Neely

I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matthew 10:16

Recently I spoke at a Christian University about relationships- we spent a portion of the time talking about the impact of media on our relationships. A smart girl spoke up about how she found it interesting that she would find herself cheering for things to happen in TV relationships despite the fact that she knew that they were wrong and that she would never suggest them for anyone in real life. That’s the sticky trap with media…it stirs  our hearts leading us to thoughts that contradict our beliefs.

The Reality: girls are going to watch TV and movies…they are going to listen to music and read magazines.
The Question: how do help them be wise as snakes?

1. Talk about it. We can’t avoid what’s happening in the media…I mean we can, but that doesn’t make it go away in the lives of our students. Ask your girls this week about what they are watching. You’ll be surprised. I recently asked a few of my girls…Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill…Criminal Minds:)! One girl surprised me by telling me that she just plays xbox…halo. It was a surprise because this insight did  not match any of my perceived ideas about her. Anyway, talk about what they are watching, why they like the shows…ask them questions about the impact of these shows on how they see life.

2. Watch it together. This may be really uncomfortable for you and for them. Uncomfortable can be good…it ususally leads to good conversation. (This is not an event…this is hang out time.) Talk about how the show contradicted biblical truths…or how they confirmed biblical truths.

3. Teach (and model) good decision making.  We won’t always be there to talk about media or to watch it with them…so we need to give them tools to make good decisions. What tools? The tools you use to make a good decisions about media. For me, one tool I use is making a list of things I avoid (sex, nudity, violence, horror, anything sacrilegious)…and than I steer clear of it in media. What about you…what’s one tool you use to make good decisions? And how can you teach and model that for your girls?

We help our students best by equipping them to make wise choices instead of making those choices for them.