“Ms. Wilson, I am sorry that I flipped Jerry and kicked Robert in his head because Robert pushed me on the floor and then I flipped in the air and that is how I kicked Jerry in his face. It won’t happen again, and me and Robert wasted your time.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at my student’s lengthy apology even though these three third-grade boys were constantly in trouble and it was becoming a serious matter. Imitating superheroes seemed to be the common denominator propelling them into their misdeeds. For some reason, they “thought” this kind of behavior was acceptable. To them, becoming mature meant becoming tougher and meaner and even invincible. The influence of culture was evident in their words and actions.

God clearly wills that as Christians, we do not fall into the patterns of the world around us. As adults, we hopefully can see that superhero stunts are tasteless and even dangerous entertainment. However, is it possible that we have been blind to some other things that hold an unholy influence in our lives?

If the answer is yes, then how do we overcome this?

When we allow God’s Word to instruct us and commit ourselves to Him in daily prayer, we allow the influence of the Holy Spirit to make us more like Jesus. Then, we will be less likely to fall into the traps of the enemy controlling the culture around us, and instead be a force for good in this world.

As Christian educators, we can also pray for our students that they, too, may desire to follow Jesus instead of the culture.

Please help us Lord, to make wise choices and leave immature excuses behind. Help us to seek after You and Your will for our lives and not the ungodly influences of the culture. Amen.

Copyright Shirley Wilson.

Shirley is a retired member and former board member of Christian Educators.