Make God Real to Your Kids
Interview by Ron R. Lee
posted 8/09/2006
 2 of 3
But even when you're not talking about it, you are building into your
child's life a picture of how Christian faith is lived out. And your
life speaks louder than any words you'll say. If he sees you read your
Bible regularly, one day he'll sit down with a book. He might be holding
it upside-down, but he's pretending to read his Bible.
When we encounter a "teachable moment" in our
child's life, how can we make full use of the opportunity?
The best way is to use Jesus' method, which involves connecting a truth
with the listener's experience. Identify one of your child's
experiences, verbally connect the truth to that experience, then challenge
the child to think about God.
What does this look like at home?
Let's say the sun is beginning to set. You and your child could draw
a chalk outline around a shadow on the driveway. Then you'd say,
"Let's come back in ten minutes and see where the shadow is."
When you come back, you'll see that the shadow has moved. But you can
explain: "The shadows caused by the sun move. But the Bible says that God
'does not change like shifting shadows' (James 1:17). That's
a verse from the Bible." You've taken something concrete and connected
it to a truth in the Bible.
Then, to help your child consider the significance of God's unchanging
nature, you could say, "I'm glad God doesn't change. What are some
things about God that you're glad never change?" You're challenging
your child to think about God's character. (See "Bananas from Heaven"
below right.)
God's creation provides natural opportunities
for lessons about his character. But what about difficulties in a child's
life? Should we use troubling experiences to teach spiritual
truth?
It's not too early to do that, even when your kids are preschoolers.
Let's say your child's friend is hurting because her parents are
getting a divorce. The friend fears she'll never see her dad again.
If your child is concerned about her friend's pain, talk about the
situation. You can begin by asking, "Why do you think Jenny was crying?"
By asking and listening, we learn what our children understand, what
they're confused about, and what they might be thinking. Usually, all
they want is a simple explanation.
Just say, "This was a very sad thing that happened to your friend's
parents. Let's pray for her and then think about what we can do to help
her feel better."
What about troubling experiences in the child's
own life, such as being afraid of the dark? How can we use those as teaching
opportunities?
First, remember that it's natural for a child to be afraid or unsure—such
as being frightened by thunderstorms or being shy around strangers. We parents
are afraid of some things, too.
You can help by showing your child that he can come to you with his fears,
and you will not just push that away. Children want to be heard. But without
realizing it, we often block the process. When a child's afraid, a parent
might say, "Oh, thunder won't hurt you. Be a big boy and be brave."
That doesn't acknowledge the child's feelings.
| 
share this page
