Was I wrong?

The other day I blogged about the sense of wonder I had about the way we use these new text based communication technologies such as instant messaging and blogging.

I waxed lyrical about the wonderful slowness and intimacy that is developed through textual conversations.

But having read Alexys Fairfield's last two blogs about the deprivation of kids in places such as My Space dot com, I'm feeling like I might have been a little naive.

I had HOPED that kids were perhaps learning to differentiate between this kind of stupidity and gross corruption of their souls but maybe there is a lot we still need to teach our youth about the boundaries of respect - for themselves and for others.

But then I was horrified to read Dave Pollards dissertation on Insecurity and Status-seeking in adults.

If adults cannot recognise the intrinsic worth they hold within themselves as unique and wonderful individuals - without pride or self-seeking need for gratification - how then are we to teach our kids their own inherent value as people?

The world cries out in desperation for love. Unconditional love that isn't about merely meeting ones spiritual, physical and emotional needs but fills them completely so that they aren't an issue anymore! It then becomes not about us, but about others. When it becomes about others and not ourselves, we are more content, satisfied, and joyously, deliriously happier than ever before. We are blessed more through our forgetting ourselves than through trying to satisfy ourselves.

It's when the deepest parts of us are nourished in complete knowledge that we are precious and LOVED - just as we are - that we are then able to be wise in the way we teach our kids to be lovely people.

So... tell your kids you love them. But more than that - show them through your own actions.

Those actions?

Love,
Joy,
Peace,
Patience,
Kindness,
Goodness,
Faithfulness,
Gentleness,
Self-control

There can be no dishonour, debauchery, licentiousness, hatred, greed, selfishness, manipulation, dysfunction or madness in aiming for these qualities. But in order to achieve them, we need to know that we are already valuable and that we don't need to prove anything about ourselves.

And the only way we can know that we are valuable? I won't preach - you know where I stand on these things, just be open to the possibility that God wants to come to you just as you are.