The Road to Restoration

Spare the Rod, Lose the Soul: A Christian Parent’s Encounter with British “Compassion” A Shocking Welcome to England When our family moved from the United States to England, we expected the usual challenges — new accents, new roads, new routines. What we didn’t expect was a visit from the police and social services because of how we discipline our children. A few weeks after we arrived, my daughter’s teacher taught a lesson on consequences. In childlike honesty, my daughter said she sometimes gets “consequences” at home — in the form of spanking. When she added that it sometimes involves a wooden spoon, the class froze. That single word — spoon — triggered a cascade of events that changed our week. My wife got a call just before school pickup. She was told not to come; the children would be dropped off later by someone else. Two hours later, a social worker and a police officer arrived at our home, escorting our children. They inspected their rooms, checked the cupboards, and evaluated...

  “Be Safe? Or Be Brave?” “Be safe.” That’s how most of our conversations end today. Parents tell their kids. Friends text each other. Even Christians sign off with those two little words. But have you ever noticed? Jesus never said, “Be safe.” He said, “Follow Me.” He said, “Take up your cross.” He said, “Go into all the world.” Safety is not wrong—but when it becomes the highest goal of our lives, it replaces faith with fear and obedience with comfort. The Gospel According to Safety We live in a world obsessed with protection—insurance, passwords, helmets, alarm systems, emergency alerts. During COVID, this obsession reached its peak. We sanitized everything, locked our doors, and distanced ourselves from everyone—including compassion. We were trying to save our lives, but many people lost their joy , purpose , and community in the process. The driving force beneath our culture’s pursuit of safety is fear . Yet Jesus said plainly: “Do not be afraid of those who ki...