The Cost of Inattentiveness

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My husband tells a story of a time when he was a little boy. He was rapidly running through the house with his younger brother chasing him. He chose to focus his attention on his brother, so with his head turned, staring intently behind him, he placed his arm forward to push open the storm glass door for a quick escape to the yard. Unfortunately, since he was not watching where he was going, he missed the latch, and the full force of his arm went through the glass door instead. As the oldest (and at the wise age of seven), he immediately knew what to do, and quickly dispatched his little brother to fetch a towel from the kitchen where their mother happened to be distracted on the phone at the time (a corded landline- remember those?). As my husband recounts in the story, several more blood soaked towels later, his mother utters the words, "I think I'm going to have to call you back" and hangs up the phone to investigate the situation. Despite a visit to the hospital, many decades later, today his arm still bears the scar of his inattentiveness.

Pondering The Broken Glass

As we draw near to Kristallnacht, I have been pondering stories of broken glass that are far more heartbreaking, and I was reminded of that recollection shared from my husband's childhood. Perhaps it was the image of the broken glass that first brought it to mind. There is simply something about shards of glass that evokes a visceral response. Most of us have experienced the caution that comes with trying to clean up sharp glass without getting harmed, or felt the pain from actually being cut by it. 

There has been some discussion regarding whether Kristallnacht ("crystal night" or "night of broken glass") is an adequate name for what occurred that November of 1938. After all, more than just glass from synagogues and Jewish owned businesses was shattered. Jews were beaten and killed. Looting and arson of Jewish homes and businesses, as well as synagogues was rampant. And it was all encouraged by the authorities. The horrors happened in broad daylight as well as at night. And that nightmare wasn't isolated to one single night. Many of the tens of thousands of Jews arrested following Kristallnacht still remained in concentration camps months later. So perhaps, the name doesn't fully convey it all. But honestly, there likely isn't an adequate name for what happened. How do you find monikers that sufficiently sum up each of the unspeakable evils the Jews have endured over time? We simply can't rely on a mere title to do our job of spreading the truth. This is the burden on my heart, the part where as a mother and grandmother, I feel I must address something concerning I see in the world. For now, I want to lean in and speak to the mothers out there.

Women of Valor

Each Friday evening at Shabbat tables around the world, it is customary for Jews to sing Eishet Chayil ("woman of valor"). This passage from Proverbs 31 is also familiar to many Christians as well. Let's pause to examine verse 27, "She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness". Cooking and cleaning are important, but there is far more to looking well to the ways of a woman's household. Women have the honor of being tasked with some weighty responsibilities. Yet I fear there is an area that remains grossly untended in many homes. It should be interwoven in the training of your children while they are young and in your relationships with them when they are older, and that is that you must have ongoing conversations about Israel and the Jewish people.

Pray for Israel daily, but you must also be proactive in your home. This world is becoming increasingly antisemitic at an alarming rate. And there is a war being waged for the hearts and minds of your children. The lies are out there, and they are not merely on the sidelines. There are those who detest the Jews and Israel so much they are actively working to disseminate false information by gaming the algorithms of social media with fake videos, lies, and evil agendas intended to twist truth, denying the Holocaust, glorifying Hitler as a hero, eschewing the realities of October 7th, revising historical facts, and much more. And sadly, this information is working, even among some who label themselves as conservative Christians. And it is spreading into the world through protests, colleges, and daily conversations. This even includes those among Christians. Replacement theology and other errant teachings haven't helped matters. Your children must be grounded in truth. 

Help Them Understand

I believe some Christians shy away from discussing it with their children, because they believe that as long as they are studying the Bible with them, that is enough. But it takes more. You must help them understand why God calls Israel the apple of His eye. Show them His compassion and love for His chosen people. Go through that Bible by all means, but teach your children the faithful promises He gave His people to return them to their land and why Zionism matters (and a truthful definition of it, not the world's twisted one). And pray for your family to be able to visit that Holy Land in person, particularly your children. Our youngest daughter (in her mid twenties) was blessed to visit Israel a couple years ago with Ten From the Nations (called Nations 9th of Av at that time). She was there during the 9th of Av. She already had a deep love for Israel and the Jewish people, but spending that time mourning along with them and getting to know them in a new and personal way was life changing for her and further fueled the fire in her heart.

Teaching Right So They Recognize Wrong

Another hindrance I see to families having conversations in the home is that some Christians feel uncomfortable, as though engaging in the topic would mean they'd be forced to traumatize their young children in order to educate them about the atrocities done to the Jewish people. They believe it means showing them violent images and describing horrific scenes. To that I echo the words of Psalm 101:3, "I will set nothing wicked before my eyes. I hate the work of those who fall away. It shall not cling to me." Be sure to discuss with your children that there were horrible things that were done (and still are), and that anyone who claims those things aren't real is lying. And as they grow, you can decide how much information they can handle at each age and stage of maturity. And one day when they are grown enough, they may even visit Yad Vashem with you. But don't feel you need to stoop to the level of the enemy and set some of the most evil and horrific videos and images that are out there before your children's eyes (such as some of the onslaught that hit social media after October 7th). When you teach them true history, and a love, passion, and zealousness for Israel and the Jewish people, they will recognize evil and lies by the definition that it is outside of the truth they learned and what they read in Scripture. My husband and I did not need to expose our children to strip clubs to teach them they were wrong. We taught them the principles of modesty, respect, and righteous behavior. And then by definition, they knew that all things outside of those parameters were sin.

For Everyone Else

Before I close, I want to address those who may not be mothers. Having experienced infertility, I understand how difficult it can sometimes be for a woman to read an article that exclusively addresses mothers. So to those women who do not currently have children, I say you also still have a role to play in pouring into the children and young people who are in your lives. These conversations are still very important to have and they are vital for future generations. So pray for opportunities for conversations. The Father will be faithful. The same goes for young women who are single and waiting on God to bring a husband. Pour into the children in your lives at this time, and prepare yourself for these conversations for any future children the Father may bring you through birth and/or adoption once you are married. And to my fellow grandmothers, let us not neglect to support the younger generation as they endeavor in this weighty task. They need us to come alongside them. They must navigate things in this world with raising their children we never had to face. 

No Room For Inattentiveness

As a woman, I have written this geared more towards women. So I'll leave it to the many wonderful men who write for Ten From the Nations to speak to the men. But they obviously also have an important role in training children and young people as well. May we all come together and face forward so we watch where we are going. There is no room for inattentiveness, or we'll find ourselves witness to more broken glass and blood.