A Prayer for Bigger Worldview
By Kristen Welch
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)
Nothing shakes your world like returning from a third world country that is riddled with disease and poverty. Nothing makes you question yourself, your motives, and your own sanity more than trying to blend your old worldview with your new. Nothing makes you want to raise compassionate children like meeting people the world has forgotten.
I have amazing kids. They are sweet and well-behaved (most days), but they are typical American children. They have too much. They want things instantly and easily. They think about themselves first.
They look a lot like their parents.
After returning from my heartbreaking and hopeful trip to Africa, I knew I had to change the way we lived. I wasn’t motivated by guilt; I was moved by compassion. My kids love to play follow the leader. They follow their parents. We’ve just been showing them the American view: bigger houses, nicer cars, more toys, and fitting God into all that stuff.
On a Saturday, I explained to my kids that we would be giving up the occasional house cleaner who made our life easier. I taught them to clean toilets. “Why are we doing this again?” my daughter asked. I pointed to the faces of the four children we were sponsoring through Compassion International, smiling down from their pictures on our refrigerator.
She wiped a strand of hair from her eyes, nodded, and went back to scrubbing. She stopped and said thoughtfully, “Mom, I’d like to fill the front of our refrigerator with pictures of children from all over the world.”
It turns out my children were just waiting for their leaders to show them the world. They love praying for a new country at dinner every night. They can’t wait to write to the kids we sponsor. They understand the choice to buy secondhand clothes and less stuff so that we can make our money matter more.
I thought the changes we made in our home would be hard for my kids. I thought there might be resistance. But they love the view and the pictures on our refrigerator.
Prayer
Lord, I love you. I want to be like you. I want my children to love others. I want them to be compassionate people. I know that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our works, but I pray that my works are evidence to the world of what you are doing in me. My children are following me; please help me lead them to you. Amen.
Editor’s Note: Content taken from Kristen Welch's book Don't Make Me Come Up There!(c) 2011 Abingdon Press. Used with permission.
Related Resource: 5 Things Parents Need to Tell Their Kids About War Right Now
When war dominates the headlines, parents are left asking an important question: How do we talk to our kids about it? In this episode of March or Die, Jeremy Stalnecker shares practical and biblical principles for guiding young people through confusing and frightening global events.
Drawing from his experience as a Marine who lived through the wars following 9/11, Jeremy explains why moments of global conflict can become powerful opportunities for parents to teach their children about courage, faith, and moral clarity. Rather than avoiding difficult conversations, parents can use them to help their kids understand fear, the reality of evil in the world, and the responsibility we have to stand for what is right.
This conversation explores how parents can alleviate fear, explain why conflict exists, and demonstrate a faith-filled response when the world seems chaotic. Jeremy also discusses the importance of teaching children the difference between necessary and unnecessary violence, why standing against evil matters, and how faith in God provides stability even in uncertain times. If this episode of March or Die helped your spiritual perspective, be sure to follow the show on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Was this resource helpful? Add Christianity.com as a trusted source for Biblical content.
