Hey Mama Monday: Are Your Children Too “Sheltered”?

Hey Mama,

“Shelter.” That’s a bad word in some circles, isn’t it? Something is creeping into the church (and even the homeschooling community), and it isn’t biblical. It is an “anti-sheltering campaign” of sorts, and it’s full of holes. It’s even mocked: helicopter mom. Like that’s a bad thing. But think about it. What does it mean to shelter? Protect. Defend. Guard. Preserve. Watch over. Shield. Safeguard. Hmmmm, so far so good, right? Sure, until “pop psychology” comes in and tells us that we should allow our children to taste a little of the world in order to understand it or pray for it—that we should not “over-shelter” them. Nonsense.

What’s the opposite of shelter? Expose. Endanger. We parents are called to be like our Father in Heaven. He is the greatest “Shelterer” there ever was, and it is you and I whom He shelters—or watches over, protecting us, preserving us, shielding us. Praise Him for this! I’ll not mock it. I’ll not call Him a “helicopter dad”—I’ll welcome it! Glory to God who knows how to parent (shelter) us perfectly. May we as parents follow this model—His model. Let’s continue to shelter (love) our children as He loves us. Dismiss the garbage that crawls in; don’t buy it. We’re promised there will be false teachers, liars in the church. Babblers who use human reasoning rather than Truth. I want to keep my eyes focused on Christ, come what may.

Parents: Keep sheltering them. You are bringing them up in the love and admonition of the Lord, not in the latest speaker/author. If that author is worth his/her salt, he or she better be sharing directly from the Word, not their own feelings or “revelations.” May you be blessed as you continue to walk in obedience! (because you will be).

Lord, thank you for sheltering me. Please never stop. “Over-shelter” if You will (if there is such a thing). Fine with me! Overprotect, over-defend, over-guard me; please do! I’ll take it all, Lord. Keep me tight to Your side. I’m safe in that place. There, I can breathe and thrive. It’s where I live. Under Your wing.

“For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.”—Psalm 61:3