As we approach 2013, we are a nation gripped with FEAR.

"He who fears he will suffer, already suffers because of his fear." --Michel de Montaigne

     "Fear that man who fears not God." -- Abd-El-Kader

Helicopter Parenting. We want to bubble-wrap
our kids to prevent any possible injury!

As we rapidly approach 2013, we have become a nation gripped by fear. We are afraid of going over the fiscal cliff, afraid of guns and fearful of what could happen to our children. I have a theory that the more television news you watch, the more fear you possess. Fear is the fodder of journalists. They want to slip a fearful "what if" into every story so that you will stay tuned to find out how to be SAFE, how to avoid a massacre, or being robbed or raped, or scammed.

After the Newtown, CT shooting, parents hundreds of miles away were afraid to let their kids go to school the next day. If you put fear in the mind of your child, you're going to reap fearful results. How many overly protective parents have instilled fear in their children over just about everything. Many parents won't let their kids play with their friends because they're afraid they'll get hurt, or dirty with germs and become sick, or even worse, abducted. In our media-saturated society, we have thousands of parents fearful that their child will be kidnapped, so they keep "tight reins" on their child.

Nancy Gibbs writes in Time Magazine (Nov. 30, 2009),

"The insanity crept up on us slowly; we just wanted what was best for our kids. We bought macrobiotic cupcakes and hypoallergenic socks, hired tutors to correct a 5-year-old's "pencil-holding deficiency," hooked up broadband connections in the treehouse but took down the swing set after the second skinned knee. We hovered over every school, playground and practice field — "helicopter parents," teachers christened us, a phenomenon that spread to parents of all ages, races and regions. Stores began marketing stove-knob covers and "Kinderkords" (also known as leashes; they allow "three full feet of freedom for both you and your child")."

These "Helicopter Parents" hover over their child every minute of the day.  You see them at the playground. They are constantly warning their child to be careful, or even worse, afraid to let the child go down a slide because he could get hurt. These are the parents who lobby for the removal of diving boards, the removal of the game, dodge ball  from recess. They want their child enveloped in a cocoon of safety 24-hrs. a day. Usually, these are progressive parents (who happen to vote Democrat and who fancy themselves politically-correct in every way) who believe that we can create a perfect world where nothing bad ever happens and where everyone is safe 24-hours a day. In a sense, they have taken the place of God. They have become their own little gods trying to create a perfect existence. 

Paranoid Parenting

I think we are AFRAID of the wrong things. Sadly, most parents who are FEARFUL of their child being injured while playing, or being abducted, or even killed in a school massacre, are NOT fearful about what their children are or are not being taught in school. They aren't FEARFUL that they child may be  "brainwashed" by his teacher. They aren't FEARFUL of big government's intrusion into their lives. They aren't FEARFUL about the loss of freedom and liberty. They are FEARFUL of man, but have NO FEAR of GOD.

Instead, they have relegated their safety and well-being to the government. They believe that government will protect them from the cradle to the grave. And yet, if that's the case, why are these parents paralyzed with so many fears and passing on these same fears to their children.

I don't know if we will ever have a great generation like those in WWII because we are becoming a nation that is afraid to do anything. Afraid of negative consequences. Afraid that we won't be liked on the world stage. Afraid that we may be criticized, or politically-incorrect. We are becoming a nation of appeasers who want to go along to get-along. Just don't rock the boat and everything will be fine.

As we head into 2013, we need to put everything in perspective and it starts with this: Fear God. Trust in Him.Teach your children to fear the Lord and put their trust in Him. That's the ONLY FEAR worth having. All other fears are needless and produce NOTHING positive in your life. Instead of raising your children to be afraid of walking out the front door every morning, you need encourage them to TRUST GOD and know that He is watching over them. This is done more by example than by preaching. They need to see and know that you are trusting God for your life and your family.

Psalm 27:1 (NLT)
¹
The LORD is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?

Psalm 34:7-9 (NLT)
⁷ For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. ⁸ Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! ⁹ Fear the LORD, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.