Daly Focus Blog
“Why do bad things happen to good people?”
It may be one of the most common questions we ask when we’re in pain. Maybe that’s because suffering is more than just an inconvenience. It shakes our lives to the core, leaving us so disoriented and confused that nothing seems to make sense.
Suffering is universal. At one time or another, all of us will have our world turned upside down. In fact, Scripture and life itself plainly teach that every one of us will take our last breath one day.
Do you have a daughter who’s a “crushaholic”? That’s a term that describes a young lady who is constantly seeking affirmation from boys.
I don’t have daughters myself, but my boys Trent and Troy are 15 and 13, so Jean and I are seeing the upheaval of the teen years up close. The physical, mental, and emotional changes can be intense.
Did I mention the emotional changes?
They can be especially pronounced in girls who tend to be emotional creatures by nature, more so than boys.
It’s been said it’s “easier to build a boy than to mend a man.”
I agree.
But a startling number of boys today are alone, left to figure out for themselves what it means to be a man. They don’t have a father in the home who will engage them.
Oh, dad may be there. But he isn’t present.
There are a lot of great dads out there, but too many men are disengaged. They don’t see manhood as a quality they intentionally bestow upon their son.
Here’s the scenario. Does it sound familiar?
It’s a weeknight, and your child has spent most of the evening on the same school assignment. It’s pretty clear he doesn’t understand the information. To top it off, he’s brought home a note from the teacher warning you about a failing grade.
Now what do you do?
Many parents immediately assume the worst. They think their child has a behavior problem, has difficulty learning, or is just plain lazy.
Wonder Woman.
Batgirl.
Supergirl.
The Invisible Woman.
Wives.
What do all of these women have in common?
They can be strong and fierce in character. They’re capable of having bold convictions and standing firmly behind their decisions.
Really, the comparisons could go on and on, and I think it’s important that a woman’s strengths be celebrated.
There’s just one catch: Fictional superheroines are esteemed because they stand on their own and lead their lives independent of men.
Has it ever occurred to you that so many traditions of Christmas are actually sterilized versions of historical truth?
There are the lights and decorations; the smell of cookies, pies, and freshly cut Christmas trees; the music of choirs and carolers. The air is filled with the joy of the season.
It’s beautiful imagery that, in almost every way, stands in stark contrast to the dark, difficult circumstances surrounding the very first Christmas.
Case in point, let’s consider the lives of three women who lived it:
Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna.
This time of year is supposed to be the most joyous, but it’s often the most stressful.
A big reason for that is the amount of expectation we pour into the holidays.
Think about it.
We put expectations on ourselves and our family members, and they have expectations for how they want things to go as well. It’s a special time of year, and we want the house to be perfect, the gifts to be perfect, the meals to be perfect.
Thanksgiving is one of the great American holidays, a time dedicated to the deliberate expression of gratitude to the Lord for this country and our many blessings.
If you’re like my wife, Jean, you’ve been shopping and preparing the last few days. Perhaps you’ve cleared your house of extra clutter, wiped the fingerprints off the fridge and aired out the stuffy guest room. The serving platters are out of storage and your overnight guests might even be on their way.
One of the guiding philosophies at Focus on the Family that’s woven into the very fabric of our organization is the sanctity of human life.
In part, our statement of faith in this area reads:
“We believe that human life is created by God in His image. It is of inestimable worth and significance in all its dimensions … from the single cell stage of development to natural death.”
By and large, Christians do well in recognizing the value of the preborn.
When you think about it, instilling virtue in our children can be pretty serious business. After all, the adult world is a competitive place, and we want our kids to be prepared. And that leads some parents to bury their children under some pretty harsh standards.
At report card time, a parent wanting their child to learn responsibility may question why their nearly straight A student didn’t get that one grade just a little higher. Or maybe they snap at their teenager if he or she shows the slightest sign of irresponsibility.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
