Innocence Ruined?

This story is about a teacher who informed her second grade class that Santa Claus is a myth and does not really exist: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/12/03/new-york-teacher-tells-kids-there-is-no-santa-claus/. This took place recently in an elementary school in New York state. I totally agree with the comments in the story; most relatives and others interviewed were very upset at the way this teacher wielded her influence over her class by "robbing them of their innocence" to tell them Santa isn't real. The thought that came to my mind was this: will these same children receive the same protection over other subjects; will someone be outraged when they are told that families don't need any structure; when it is ok to have "two mommies"; when they are told "safe sex" is the only requirement for indulging yourself? What about Christian children who are taught that creation is impossible to believe in; that God doesn't really mean what He said about Christ being the only way into heaven? I agree that teachers have way too much to say about subjects outside their expertise. I just think that list is much longer than merely Santa Claus.

Hezekiah-Blessed or Cursed?

In 2 Kings 18 we read the story of Hezekiah, king of Judah. His story is a great one for God: v3 tells us he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, like his ancestor David. That is a great way to be remembered! The last part of chapter 18 tells us the story of Hezekiah's plea to God to save Judah from attack by the Assyrian king Sennacherib. The Assyrians openly taunted God and Hezekiah's trust in Him to the people of Judah. Hezekiah goes to the Lord and pleads with him with the help of the prophet Isaiah to deliver them from Sennacherib. God answers. He answers in a mighty way by striking down 185,000 of the Assyrian army overnight. This prevented the Assyrians from coming any further in their conquest of Judah. After this stunning defeat of his enemies, Hezekiah is sick and at the point of death, and Isaiah comes to tell him that he is going to die after all. Hezekiah pleads with the Lord to spare his life, and God relents and gives him 15 more years. In chapter 20 we see that Hezekiah did not manage to live out those extra years without consequence; he ended up leaving a curse on his descendants because of misplaced pride in his wealth. The point that strikes me about this story is this: if Hezekiah had simply died when God first decreed, he would have left his family curse-free. His descendants instead had to bear punishment for his misdeeds after he was gone. Sometimes God is merciful by allowing things we do not like. Sometimes His love lets things happen that we might be angry about. How hard it must be for Him to let us suffer and watch us wrestle with anger toward Him when from His point of view things were done with our best interests at heart. God gave Hezekiah the chance to die with honor, with history as his friend, but with his extra years of life Hezekiah tossed that chance out the window. I wonder if I do this to God: when a friendship is changed or cut off and I am mournful and hurt, I am quick to tell Him He didn't do this one the right way; I had things planned differently. When my family moved after my 9th grade year, I was quick to let God know how unhappy I was with His decision. However, less than 2 years after our move I had met my future husband. Our new town let me have the first real Christian friends I had ever known. My walk with God was forever changed because we moved!! Looking back, I have thanked God over and over for that unanswered prayer. He knew all along what was best for me in the long run. How could I have doubted Him? Yet I have doubted Him again and again - when circumstances are scary, when things don't go the way I had planned or imagined, I am quick to second-guess the Lord of All Things. I forget He can see so much further down the road and knows how He wants to weave my story into His story. If only Hezekiah had trusted that the Lord's judgment was for his own good, things would have been so much better for his familiy. Thank you God for examples like Hezekiah in your Word, to help us see things from your perspective just a little bit better.