Every parent and educator knows that their number one priority is to protect children from harm, both physical and spiritual. This is especially true in today’s world of ‘moral ambiguity’.
The question is, which way do we go? Do we do what our parents did? Do we follow professional advice or a rabbi’s advice? Our gut instinct or social media influencers?
In reality, we need to go in all directions simultaneously.
When Jacob (our forefather) was encountering his evil brother Esau after 22 years of estrangement, he knew that Esau was approaching with malicious intent. To address this grave danger, Jacob took a multi-pronged approach. He pivoted, outside of his normal ‘zone’ to assure his family’s safety.
Sometimes, we may be tempted to stick to traditional methods, those which we are accustomed to. For example: “My child needs to continue in a particular school or camp (though clearly not in his/her best interest), because doing anything else will raise eyebrows from my social circle.”
Yet, when it comes to ‘saving a life’ we must be ready to employ methods we may have never considered before. If we are to succeed with our youth we need to be open to ‘walking an unbeaten path’ with new and different approaches, not leaving any stone unturned, for the sake of a child’s well-being.