My Answer: Better safe than sorry with TV viewing
Q: Our children get upset at us because we won’t let them watch some of the TV programs their friends do. Are we just being narrow-minded? We’re appalled at some of the things their friends watch, and yet their parents don’t seem to care.
— Mrs. S.J.
*
A: No, you aren’t being narrow-minded (although some people may label you as such). One of the responsibilities God gives us as parents is to guard our children from harm, including moral and spiritual harm.
But our responsibility isn’t just to keep them from harm. It’s also to help them develop their inner moral character, including their ability to decide what’s right and wrong and learn to make wise choices as they grow older. But good character doesn’t just happen, nor do children have a natural instinct to do what’s right and avoid what’s wrong. They have to learn, and their parents should be their main teachers. The Bible says, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
But what if parents neglect that responsibility, or don’t even care? What if they allow the media to become their child’s main teacher about right and wrong? We may think it doesn’t matter, but it does.
Know what your children watch, and be wise in what you permit them to do. When you have to say “no” to them, explain why. Above all, make Christ and His Word the foundation of your lives. Let His joy fill your home, and encourage your children to give their lives to Christ. And remember the Bible’s admonition: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure... think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).
*
Q: The only thing my wife and I ever argue about is money. We wish we could stop, and we try, but then something comes up and we’re back at it. We even pray about it, but that doesn’t seem to help. What are we doing wrong?
— D.C.
*
A: Perhaps you’ve read that arguments over money are a leading cause of divorce, and I suspect it’s true. Money touches almost everything we do, and that’s why disagreements over money can be so poisonous. No wonder the Bible says that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).
I don’t know your exact situation, of course, but let me urge you to do at least three things. First, get your priorities right. Are things more important to you than God and His will? Are you constantly wanting more things so you can impress others? Don’t let this happen, but put Christ first in your lives. Jesus warned, “No one can serve two masters.... You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
Second, take practical steps to gain control of your money. Formulate a realistic budget and stick to it. Learn to turn your back on things you can’t afford. Set aside money in advance for special needs or occasions. Begin saving for the future. Avoid credit card and other kinds of unsecured debt.
Finally, learn to give as well as to get. Everything we have comes from God, and He gives us the privilege of giving some of it back to Him, to help those in need and advance His Kingdom. Don’t give God whatever you happen to have left over at the end of the month; instead, make it your first priority. Remember the Bible’s words: “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Send your queries to “My Answer,” c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: https://www.billygraham.org.