Divorce—the fear that it will happen to their parents, or the pain of a family already shattered by it—is another key reason young people reach out for sex as a substitute for the warmth of parental love. I learned about this fear first hand many years ago.
One day, when my now married son, Sean, was only six years old, he came home from school a little bummed out. I asked what was wrong. I said, “Come on, share with me what you’re feeling.” He hesitated, and then asked, “Daddy, are you going to leave Mommy?” I said, “What makes you ask that?” Three of his friends’ dads had just divorced their mothers, and he was afraid I might do the same. I looked him in the eye and said, “I love your mother very much. I’m committed to her, and I’ll never leave her. Period.”
That little six-year-old heaved a big sigh of relief. He just needed the security that comes from knowing that his mother and I love each other and are committed to a permanent relationship. Like all young people today, Sean needed to be part of a lasting relationship.
1 comment:
You should see the face on the eighth graders that I teach in a Christian school every time we discuss the issue of divorce. It has even brought tears to some of my students' eyes. There is so much pain out there and Christians are far from immune. Divorce is destroying the sense of security in our kids lives. My hope is that they will rise above this epidemic and strive to enter marriages with a sense of commitment.
Post a Comment