Innocence
“An innocent victim of the air raid over London” — This is the Library of Congress caption for this photo of a little girl. The caption also explains that “this little girl was injured while sleeping with her brother, shown in the next picture. The children were recently visited by the king and queen. She is quite happy in her little cot and is holding one of the flowers especially sent to her by Queen Mary.” In the second photo, a nurse chats with the girl’s six-year-old brother. The date for the photographs is November 1917, so the air raid occurred during World War I.
Innocence. What a clean, pure, and beautiful reality.
Blessed is the child whose parents protect their innocence. The apostle Peter warned that Satan prowls about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).
Devoured. What an ugly, scary, and heartbreaking reality.
The wise mother protects her children’s innocence, gives them tools to fight against temptation, and, most importantly, introduces them to Jesus.
Keep protecting your children’s innocence. Be wise. Don’t say no when it is unnecessary and will crush your children’s spirits; always say no when it is necessary. Always. Ask God to give you wisdom to know which is which.
Your children are counting on you.
. . . prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent,
children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
among whom you appear as lights in the world . . .
Philippians 2:15b-16