Do you remember the song “Oh Be Careful Little Ears What You Hear?â€Â   Â
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“Oh, be careful little ears what you hear.
Oh, be careful little ears what you hear.
For the Father up above is looking down in love,
So be careful little ears what you hear.â€
It goes on to list various parts of the body (eyes, mouth, hands, feet, and mind), and encourages us to be careful about what we see, hear, say, think, do, and where we go. Hannah has been learning different parts of the body, and since she was doing well with “Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes†I thought I would add this one to her repertoire, since it also helps to introduce the concept of a loving, ever-watchful Heavenly Father. She seems to be enjoying the variety, and can now point out most of the parts named in this song. Although, she is having a little trouble with the concept of “the mind.†Still a little too abstract for a 17-month-old!
But, as we were singing the other day, I began thinking about what she hears and sees throughout the day. Most of it, for now, is directly under my control: She hears me talking with other people, especially how I talk to, or respond to her dad; She hears my tone of voice, and sees my expressions when I talk to her; She hears the programs that I have on TV, or on the radio; She listens to the same music I do in the car…This song may be a “children’s song†but it is still a great reminder for us as adults also – especially if there truly are little ears around!
A few weeks ago I read an adorable story on Dan & Karina Franklin’s blog, about their son Matthew. Dan wrote:
When we ask who he is, he still normally says, “Elmo,†but he will point to pictures of himself and say, “Ma-ttttttttttttt.†Good stuff.
At dinner that night, I related this story to Jason. I thought he would at least find it amusing, seeing as how Hannah had just recently discovered, and become enamored (obsessed?) with the furry, red creature known as “Elmo.†Hannah was, of course, at the table with us, and at the mention of her favorite character, she began chanting “Elmo! Elmo! Elmo!†So, for fun, we decided to try a little experiment. Jason asked her what her name was, thinking, of course, that the answer would be “Elmo.†Her answer? Well, proving that those “little ears†pick up more than we might think, she surprised us and responded…â€Matt!†I think we both laughed until the tears were streaming down our cheeks…and Hannah just sat there smiling proudly at her little joke.
In the book, Lies Women Believe, Nancy Leigh DeMoss addresses the lie that “Children need to get exposed to the ‘real world’ so that they can learn to function in it.†(pg. 173) She gives examples from her childhood, of how her parents took very practical steps to protect her, and her siblings, from exposure to the values and influences of the world. She says:
“My parents believed that some topics were not suitable for children’s minds to ponder, and they felt responsible to shape our views on what was going on in the world.†(pg. 174)
She admits to being quite sheltered as a young person, knowing little of pop culture, Barbie dolls, and the cultural rebellion of the day. But, is that really so bad? By God’s grace and the influence of godly parents, she, unlike many of her peers, knew the difference between right and wrong. She had memorized portions of Scripture, hymns, and had an understanding of basic Christian doctrines. She goes on to say that:
“Children will cultivate an appetite for whatever they are fed in their earliest, formative years. I have known young people from ‘committed’ Christian homes who know more about movie stars and rock groups than they do about the patriarchs or the disciples. They can sing along with all the top hit songs but do not know the great hymns of the faith.†(pg. 175)
That is not what I want for my daughter. Yes, right now, what Hannah sees, hears, and does are pretty much under my (and Jason’s) direct control and authority. But, I know that the day is coming (probably much sooner than I would like to think!) when that will not be the case. Someday, whether I like it or not, she will have a choice about what music she listens to, what movies or television shows she watches, and what friends she has. And, through those choices, she may be exposed to philosophies contrary to Scripture. Of course, my first instinct is to pull her close, and never ever let her out of my sight! For now, this is an option, but, in my more realistic moments I know that it will not always be a possibility. My job now is to protect her, but in doing so, I am to be cultivating and training an appetite within her that will allow her to choose wisely in the future. I want her to grow up remembering that my presence, or absence is not what should impact her choices. She need to be careful of the choices that she makes, because, even though her daddy and I cannot always be watching her every move, her loving, Heavenly Father can, and is.
“Oh, be careful little ears what you hear…â€