As we raise kids in a world with a surplus of bad models, we parents may believe that our children must be isolated from such people. But bad people can be good models. As Cathy and I were studying I Corinthians 10 this morning, Paul repeatedly claimed that the stories of the Israelites who traveled with Moses to Canaan were recorded as "examples" for us. What sort of examples were they? Horrible! In spite of lavish demonstrations of God's incredible power and provision, they set their hearts on evil, became idolaters, indulged in "pagan revelry", committed sexual immorality. Why would Paul hold these pathetic lives up as examples for us? Because bad models can serve as "warnings for us." We see in the broken lives of others the consequences of rebelling against God.

Therefore, children don't have to be quarantined -- if that were possible! -- to be protected from evil. In fact, Carl Spackman believes we should deliberately expose our kids to small does of evil through a process he calls "spiritual inoculation." He defines the process as giving "occasional, small, controlled "injections" of an opposing viewpoint accompanied by careful instruction in how to combat that viewpoint." He believes that small doses of the "disease" will inoculate children from being infected with the full disease. Children who are not inoculated are much more susceptible to the spread of evil in their lives.

For example, you might go to the official atheists website with a teen and discuss the atheists' objections to Christianity. Or visit a feminist website with your daughter to discuss how a feminist view of womanhood differs from the Biblical model. If you can't defend the Biblical perspective, it can provide an opportunity for you and your child to do some research together. You don't have to have answers for all of your children's questions -- you only need a commitment to finding truth.