Today, my younger boy will take a vow of abstinence. We call it a purity vow. In a world that sends messages to our children when they’re too young to notice, I am proud of my young man for committing himself to purity. Whether he’ll keep his vow, I do not know. But, this one step, makes my heart glad. I want him to honor women, to honor himself, and to honor God. If we do not teach them how to properly handle the urges they will experience as teens and how to make it through those tough years of peer pressure and hormone explosions, who will? I choose now to let him know what he will encounter living a life that is not pure, but wild and free. And, then he will have to choose for himself. But while he is with me, I warn him of the dangers of listening to the subliminal messages in music, movies, and even advertisements. Some may say that’s too much for a 12-year-old. I say, “Really?”. I had a classmate pregnant in the 8th grade and have heard of many more young boys and girls experimenting too young. Nah, I prefer to teach my child to wait to be a grown up to do “grown up” things. And even then, there are confines designed to protect him, his future love, and their future children in order to honor this gift of sex God has given us. I stress it is only to be used with the one you love.
How do I know this? Well, I’m a single mom and did not get the whole story right. Therefore, I want my kids to make sure that when they decide to have sex, they have chosen a good woman and have married her. Within that relationship, they will be blessed. What is the alternative? Sleeping around, STD’s, and years of “playing the field” to finally settle and have a reputation no one wants to deal with. God forbid! I want to raise good men who have a standard for themselves. Who care about what they put into their bodies. On little boys and their purity, the conversation should start when puberty hits (or when you’re brave enough). Don’t we have enough sex-crazed, women-using, grown men (who are still boys on the inside) running around? I’m a firm believer that if we teach them which way to go, they will go.
So, as I get ready for the banquet and iron his white suit, I smile. I am thankful. One step in the right direction. I desire to save him from years of wasting time chasing an illusion of being the macho male and instead guide him toward a life of peace and fulfillment looking for his bride so they can share that wonderful gift minus the heartache of cast aside women, STD’s, broken hearts and who knows what. As he grows and goes on to live his life, I pray he continues to choose wisely and remembers his vow.
What do you think? Has your child taken a vow? Leave me a comment below!
