A Courageous Creationist

"Mom, can I talk to you?" 

My daughter stood at the end of my bed in her school uniform. I looked up from the book I was reading and said, "Sure!" Next thing I knew, her face crumpled and she held onto me as she cried. Needless to say, I was alarmed and confused - and come to find out, so was she.

When I was able to get the story from her, it turned out that her last class that day was history. The school year had just started and apparently the very first chapter in her history book aimed to "begin at the beginning" and for her secular school, that meant evolution. At some point Isabel raised her hand and said, "Teacher? Evolution isn't true. God made the world."

Can I just say how proud I am of my courageous 10-year old? She acted in a moment of emotion, perhaps not weighing the consequences but feeling unable to remain silent when confronted with the opposite of what God's Word teaches and she knows to be true. Later when she arrived home, the adrenaline faded and the tears fell from anxiety and frustration and wondering what her classmates might think of her now. But she had promised to bring her Bible to next class and show her teacher the Biblical account of creation.

That afternoon we headed straight to the Answers in Genesis website - specifically to their area for kids and to their Spanish resources. Isabel watched a helpful video and I encouraged her over and over that she had done the right thing and that standing against evolution is SO important because it is the slippery slope that leads to many of the societal ills we face today - abortion and euthanasia, to name just a couple. (Because if evolution is true and we really are just the result of the "survival of the fittest" then it is perfectly acceptable to dispose of those who are no longer fit or wanted. And if there is no Creator to whom we are responsible, then we have absolute freedom to live however we want regardless of the consequence to ourselves and others.)

Isabel did end up showing a Bible to her teacher. She also delivered a very good article entitled "The Creationist Basis for Modern Science (in Spanish.) Thankfully, Isabel was not harassed and was even encouraged that it is good to stand up for what you believe. Yet she also received the message loud and clear that what she believes is "religion" and evolution is "science." This is not true (Ken Ham has an excellent article on this topic) but it certainly is a popular creed.

Every day, I am aware that we send our children into an environment where we cannot fully control the content to which they are exposed. We try to maintain an active awareness of what they are being taught, who their friends are, and how they are responding within their school situation. I am thankful that so far we have experienced a spirit of cooperation on the part of their teachers. But I am also reminded of the vital importance of praying for our kids more purposefully. Pedro and I have been trying to daily spend time in prayer together for each child by name before heading into the activities of our day. 

We are entrusting them to the One who most intimately knows their needs and struggles - the very Creator that modern science seeks to deny. May He help each one of them - and us - to stand in Him and for Him every day!