Are we protecting what matters most?
Recently we had a great discussion with with Steve Biondo and Bryan Weight, and we discussed some difficult topics, but they’re things every man should understand and know how to fight against to protect the young people in our lives.
The dangers are real. Steve and Bryan talked about how our devices are essentially inviting the world into our homes—and unfortunately, not everyone in that world wants what’s best for our families.
It reminded us of a verse we often refer to:
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.” —1 Corinthians 16:13–14
Guys, are we taking this verse seriously?
Our kids and grandkids are our most important responsibility. Through Operation Light Shine, where Bryan serves as Executive Director, there are resources available to help parents understand the risks, have the right conversations, and better protect our kids.
A great place to start is The Parent Playbook. It provides practical information to help parents understand preventative actions, recognize risks, and know how to respond when situations arise.
FREE DOWNLOAD → THE PARENT PLAYBOOK
Knowing what’s going on and talking with our kids is the first step. Steve and Bryan also shared some practical things we can do in our own homes:
1. SCREEN TIME: Limit screen time and require devices to be used in open areas of the house. No devices in bedrooms!
2. FAMILY CHARGING STATIONS: At night, phones and devices go to a common, visible place in the house. And they recommended this for the adults too. If we expect it from our kids, we should be willing to model it ourselves.
3. PROTECTIVE SOFTWARE: Tools like Bark can help parents identify and be notified of potentially harmful or risky online behavior. Bark also now offers a phone with built-in parental protections built in.
Steve was also bold in addressing another difficult subject: pornography. He shared that 98% of sex crimes are connected in some way to pornography. His point was clear: pornography is a root issue in this fight, and it’s an epidemic we simply don’t talk about enough.
Maybe this is an area that hits home.
The statistics around pornography use in our homes—and yes, even in Christian homes—are alarming. But rather than just pointing at the culture around us, maybe we should first ask ourselves: How are we doing in that department? Are we honoring God with what we are putting into our minds? Scripture gives us a pretty clear standard:
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” —Philippians 4:8
Operation Light Shine is doing important work on the other side of this fight as well by supporting law enforcement agencies investigating sex crimes against children. Bryan shared that detectives can have 30–150 cases to investigate at one time. The need continues to grow, while many departments simply don’t have enough people, time, or resources to keep up.
OLS is working to change that by helping equip law enforcement with funding, technology, tools, and other resources so investigators can dedicate more effort to these cases. Want to learn more about the organization and the work they’re doing? LEARN MORE ABOUT OPERATION LIGHT SHINE HERE →
There’s one more thing Steve challenged us to do. We all need to practice what he calls “Yellow Awareness”—being aware of our surroundings and paying attention when something simply doesn’t seem right. One practical step is to add the National Human Trafficking Hotline to your phone: Call: 1-888-373-7888Text: BEFREE to 233733
Hopefully, you’ll never need it. But if a situation ever arises, you’ll have it.
Gents, this isn't about living in fear. It's about being aware. Being involved. Having the conversations. Setting boundaries. And being willing to protect what matters most.
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”
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