Dodged a Bullet Tonight
A couple of weeks ago my nine year old son started reading the Bible. His goal was to read from Genesis all the way through. I thought it was a great idea and I was so proud that he would be interested in this on his own. It also coincided with a Bible dramatization tape series we’ve been listening to.
Today as we listened to the story of Abraham and the three strangers my son was already familiar with the story. I was interested in how the tape series was going to handle the Angels at Lot’s house where the Sodomites wanted to “lie” with the strangers. They skipped that whole scene and made it age appropriate on the tape series.
Tonight we were supposed to read Little Pilgrims Progess together, but it got too late and my nine year old was disappointed to the point of disobedience, where he came out of his room to whine and complain. I tried to explain things to him and then distracted him and he felt better. He asked if he could read the Bible before bed. I said sure. He then said “I think the tape is ahead of me.”
Light bulb goes on in my mind! I don’t think he got to the part about Lot and the strangers. So I tell him to bring me his Bible and let me see where he’s at. Lo and behold, I read the dreaded passage where the men of the town want to have s*x with the strangers.
Near panic came over me. Did I want my son to read this? No. I haven’t had the talk with him yet, and I sure didn’t want to have to explain homos*xual r*pe! So, I told him the next chapter wasn’t appropriate for him to read. He was stunned and said, “Mom, I don’t understand. How could the Holy Bible be inappropriate?”
Thus began the discussion of sinful people and that it’s in the Bible to show us what not to do and the consequence’s of our sin, but he was too young to know these things and I didn’t want his mind to be filled with bad things that might scare him. I related it to how I tell him to close his eyes when something inappropriate or violent comes on the TV.
I then suggested he read the New Testament and at his age he should fill his mind and heart with getting to know Jesus better. He mentioned some stories in the Bible like Joseph and Moses and wanted to read those. I started to go through the Old Testament to see what he could read, but then he said, “I should stick to the New Testament so I don’t get tempted to read the bad stuff!”
Bullet dodged for now! Tonight I’m thanking God for my son’s disobedience. It just might have saved his little heart from knowing too much too soon!
