Spring has sprung in the deep south!  I love the blooming flowers, the green grass and the warm, sunny days.

Over the weekend, my grandsons were playing in my backyard.  There was running, laughter and playing with the sand table.  There were also about half-dozen bees that continued to visit us.  Andrew thought it was so cool and smiled and was ready to be friends with a bee.   Yikes!   Today, kids have watched so many cute cartoons that show friendly bees, snakes, mice, lions and other creatures of nature, that now it’s easy to think of these creatures as something fun.   While the bee, in itself, is not bad, if one gets tangled up with the bee, that’s another story.

It is our job to teach and model, that while these creatures might look fun and harmless, they can be harmful, even deadly.  While the boys were smiling at the bees, Grammy was quick to tell them that the bee will hurt them, so don’t go near it.

As I have watched over the last decade, so many things have become cute and fun, that are really harmful.   There are things, that appear to be fun and life-fulfilling, and yet have been detrimental, especially to our youth.  Too much has been packaged as normal and inviting.   My heart breaks to see a ten-year old child engaging in or preoccupied with things that should not even be in their young minds.  Yet, it packaged as cute and fun all around them.

It is an hour when parents must be parents.  Teachers of God’s word must be teachers of God’s word.   Clearly in many instances, right and wrong are spelled out in the word of God.  Warnings of consequences are written in black and white.   Why are we so afraid to say that?    While we must not say it in a rude and hateful manner, we still must speak the truth in love.

I want to be a “mother in Israel.”  I want to speak the truth in love.  I want to have a voice that speaks God’s wisdom.

It’s not a time to make friends with a bee!