To Vaccinate or Not Vaccinate....Is That The Question?

by Jennie Smith
Secondary Principal

Is there a hotter topic right now among parents?  I know that I have seen both sides of this issue in my news feed... A dad angry because his child with cancer had been exposed at a facility here in the Valley...Explanations of why her child cannot be vaccinated...even a video montage of shows from the 1960's showing that measles is not that bad.  It's everywhere and passions are up on both sides of this issue because of the recent outbreak that dominates our news.

The question of this blog really isn't should we vaccinate our children...the question is:  can we respect the decisions other parents make for their own children?  Can we choose to have healthy discussion with one another without calling names?  Parenting is so hard and making choices for our children is even more challenging in an information saturated society that makes it difficult to tell what is true and what is false.   There can be healthy debate, but I see so many of us being unkind, and sometimes downright mean, to a parent who has made a different choice than we would.

My dearest, lifelong friend has a daughter with autism.  It was heart wrenching to watch this beautiful child grow into this disease.  When her second daughter was born, she chose not to vaccinate.  When I was pregnant with my third, she asked me to reconsider my position on vaccination.  We had a lovely conversation one afternoon.  She told me her journey, her research, her heart on the issue.  I asked questions.  Then I did my own study and explored options with my pediatrician and chose to vaccinate on a more extended schedule.  She didn't rail against me for my decision.  I certainly won't blame her for hers.  Actually, because there is no way for me to even imagine what she deals with on a daily basis raising a special needs child, I would in no way - not ever - challenge her decisions in this area.  No way!  But we can have healthy, loving discussion between us.  But then we make the decision to support and love each other no matter what.

And it's not just vaccinations for which we judge other parents...
To nurse or bottle feed
To spank or not to spank
To put your child in Christian school, public school, or home school
To celebrate Halloween or skip it

This list can become lengthy.  The conversations can become ugly.

I read a great article last week on the topic of judgement, and I think we can apply its principles to this discussion.  First it clarifies that judging should only come in issues of righteousness.  John 7:24 says "Do not judge according to appearances, but judge with righteous judgement" (NASB).  If we are judging in any other way, we judge in self-righteousness, not God's.

But even when we do judge, or challenge, a parent in an area of God's truth, we need to inspect ourselves first.  In another teaching on judgement, Jesus said "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye" (Matthew 7:3-5, NASB).  Let's be sure to approach one another with clean heart before God.

I love the way the article encourages us to talk to people:  "The point of this passage is not to forbid judging. On the contrary, it encourages judgment that is grace-filled and humble, a love-filled judgment that brings a fellow believer into right standing before God.  We walk beside the person because we too struggle with our own sin. We judge not by our own authority, but by the Authority that will one day judge us all" (Mitchell, paragraph 8).

May I challenge you to apply this idea to the hot topics we as parents tend to argue with each other about?  Walk beside each other as a fellow struggler in this great journey we call parenthood.  Be filled with grace and be humble.  Most of all, love another. And in all things bring honor and glory to our Heavenly Father, the greatest parent of us all!

Learn more about Faith Christian School at www.faith-christian.org


Owens, Mitchell.  "Teaching Our Children to Judge."  For the Family.  March 28, 2014.  Retrieved January 31, 2014 from http://forthefamily.org/teaching-children-judge/

Humble Pie

by Jennie Smith
Secondary Principal

Humble pie is not something most people want to eat.  It usually means we've done someone wrong and face humiliation as we seek restoration.  Humility is a character quality that we like to avoid - it has a negative connotation.  However, humility is a godly characteristic; "Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind" (I Peter 3:8).

Humility is a hard quality to come-by as it is very counter-cultural.  Our culture says to teach our kids to be proud of their accomplishments, to have a high self-esteem. Teaching them to be humble seems to be in direct opposition to building them up.  

However, I've recently learned that humility is a key element in handling times of deep suffering.  A recent article I read states:  "Humility is the way to wisdom..  Humility is the way to contentment in the midst of confusing suffering"  (Welch, 2012).  I Peter 5:6-7 says:  "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."  Even Jesus approached the time of his death with true humility when he says "yet not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).  Although we never want to think of our kids encountering a time of significant grief and trial, the facts demonstrate that those times are inevitable.  Our time to teach our kids is so short and we should not overlook the importance of working on this character trait with them.  

Teach Them Who God Is
Micah 6:8  teaches us "to walk humbly with your God."  A reminder that God is God and we are not instills the godly humility that will carry one through many, many trials.  When we think of Job and the tremendous suffering he endured, we call to mind the last few chapters when God finally speaks.  What does he tell Job?  "Through gentle, yet relentless, fatherly questions, he was taught that God is God and our aim in suffering is not to get answers but to submit to his lordship" (Welch, 2012).  If we can have our children grasp who God really is, and give them a proper respect for his sovereignty, hopefully they will bring these things to mind when faced with trials.

Recognize the Power Source
This is one of my favorite definitions of humility:  "Humility is not denying the power you have but admitting

that the power comes through you and not from you" (Smith, 1984).  Our kids have been gifted in unique and special ways.  They may be great athletes, be really astute in math, or be musically talented.  True humility is not a denial of the gifts they've been given, but a recognition that these things are from the Lord.  A little girl I once knew had the most beautiful curls.  Even at the young age of 4 and 5, if you said to her, "I love your hair"  she would respond "God gave it to me."  I always loved her sweet heart - never realizing that her parents were instilling a humble spirit in her.  We are never successful in our own power - it comes directly from the Lord, and He should be the one to receive the praise.

Provide Opportunities for Them to Serve
The very nature of a servant is humility.  As Jesus taught his disciples, he told them over and over again to be servants, and also demonstrated the same in his actions.  "...But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43-45).  Are there places where your children can serve and reach out to others in need?  

Teaching our children to be thankful and helping them learn to ask forgiveness are more ways that they may learn humility.  Let's take the bad taste from humble pie and give our children (and ourselves) the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of walking humbly with our God.


Smith, F. (January 1, 1984).  "Christian Humility."  Leadership Journal, Winter 1984.

Welch, E. (July 18, 2012).  "Suffering, Step One."