How Should I Respond To My Child . . . ?

F.A.Q. (Frequently Avoided Questions) How should I respond to my teenage child when he/she tells me they are gay (homosexual)?   Responding Biblically . . . Listen before you speak. "Know this, my beloved brothers (and sisters); let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God."  James 1:19-20   Engage in conversation by asking open ended questions to gain clarity. When you say that you are gay, what do you mean? Is there an attraction to the same sex? In our culture, to struggle with same-sex attraction is often perceived as identifying, and living a lifestyle, as gay.   Is there activity you are engaging in with the same sex?   Open the Scriptures, and let God's word be your counsel. Let God's word, reprove, correct, and train in righteousness. "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."  2 Timothy 3:16, 17 Let the Word do the work.   Speak truth with much grace and love.   Share with him/her that our identity is to be found in Christ, not our sexuality. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold the new has come."  2 Corinthians 5:17 We are not defined by our struggles, but by who we are in Christ.   "I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."  Galatians 2:20     Fight for the heart of your child in prayer. "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."  James 5:16   "The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with."  James 5:16 (The Message) Pray the truth of Scripture over your child. Pray consistently with your child. Reclaim ground that has been stolen by the enemy.   Protect him/her by establishing healthy boundaries. Set boundaries with what is allowed on their mobile devices, laptops, etc., Don't let culture be your child's counselor. Be aware of the relationships in which he/she is engaged. Do not allow them to run unchecked on the playground of culture.    Love them unconditionally. To love them does not mean you condone sinful behavior, but rather reflect compassionate grace.