It all comes back to the cross
we had a great discussion in a meeting this morning about the days we are living in and the things we are teaching the kids as a result. It is an ongoing conversation that sometimes is more sobering than others. Today was one of those sobering days. Regardless of what your view is on the end times, there is no denying that the terrorism, the storms, the occult etc are growing in intensity all around us... so when is it appropriate to talk to children about these issues?
For me that has been a HUGE question as the primary age group that I work with at this point is 1-5 year olds. The stance I have taken (and still take) is that it is the PARENTS role to expose children to the world at the timing and pace that the parent feels is appropriate. But in light of the issues in the world today... what do I teach? And how?
What my role becomes, is to help children TRUST God. To talk about his faithfulness and help them understand that God's heart is FOR them; that the whole reason for the cross was to restore intimacy with God... to be WITH him, to be His. My four and five year olds (as do adults!) need to hear God for themselves, to have a love for His word and to worship with their whole heart. It's about helping them understand that the gospel is NOT all about them, and their happiness, but rather that it is about GOD and his plan and LOVE for us.
So why is this sobering? It's the responsibility aspect of it. I can't just teach the classic stories as the classic stories... like Noah and the Ark (which by the way is the strongest story of Judgement in the Bible) or David and Goliath and make them about the person who followed God. I can't tell the story and have the kids walk away thinking they need to be LIKE David, or LIKE Noah, but rather that they see who GOD is in the story and that GOD is the one they are to follow, to be LIKE. To call on GOD when things shake, not themselves. I've been learning this for the last few months, but it really came together for me this morning.
I've been reading through the Old Testament for the last three months and there are sooooooo many stories that I could take to the kids and give the good examples of Godly men and women, but I am seeing the underlying truths of who GOD is in these stories and that is where I need to focus. It's a small tilt in thinking, but monumental in consequence.
For me that has been a HUGE question as the primary age group that I work with at this point is 1-5 year olds. The stance I have taken (and still take) is that it is the PARENTS role to expose children to the world at the timing and pace that the parent feels is appropriate. But in light of the issues in the world today... what do I teach? And how?
What my role becomes, is to help children TRUST God. To talk about his faithfulness and help them understand that God's heart is FOR them; that the whole reason for the cross was to restore intimacy with God... to be WITH him, to be His. My four and five year olds (as do adults!) need to hear God for themselves, to have a love for His word and to worship with their whole heart. It's about helping them understand that the gospel is NOT all about them, and their happiness, but rather that it is about GOD and his plan and LOVE for us.
So why is this sobering? It's the responsibility aspect of it. I can't just teach the classic stories as the classic stories... like Noah and the Ark (which by the way is the strongest story of Judgement in the Bible) or David and Goliath and make them about the person who followed God. I can't tell the story and have the kids walk away thinking they need to be LIKE David, or LIKE Noah, but rather that they see who GOD is in the story and that GOD is the one they are to follow, to be LIKE. To call on GOD when things shake, not themselves. I've been learning this for the last few months, but it really came together for me this morning.
I've been reading through the Old Testament for the last three months and there are sooooooo many stories that I could take to the kids and give the good examples of Godly men and women, but I am seeing the underlying truths of who GOD is in these stories and that is where I need to focus. It's a small tilt in thinking, but monumental in consequence.
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