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Of all the things you do in parenting, even the most important parenting tips boil down to one thing: your primary job is to train your children to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
The Bible is the guidebook for life, and when people, including children, follow it, good things happen. But how can you teach children about the Scriptures without making the process boring?
Some parents only use the Scriptures to correct their kids, giving their children the impression that God’s primary task in our lives is to judge us.
If your only use of prayer and the Scriptures is to correct your kids, you give your children the wrong impression about God. He is the one who also delights in spending time with us, affirms that we are his kids, and leads us every day. Those positive parts of our relationship with God should be communicated to children through family life on a regular basis.
If your only use of prayer and the Scriptures is to correct your kids, you give your children the wrong impression about God.
The use of God’s Word in parenting is important, and here are some suggestions about communicating that message well.
What to Teach Kids about the Bible
1. First of all, you want your children to learn that the Bible is relevant.
We’re sure that you believe that the Bible is relevant to your life, but do your kids believe that the Scriptures are relevant for them? One of the ways you can help kids apply God’s Word now is to end Bible stories with this question: “What’s the lesson we learn from that story?” After all, telling kids a story about Daniel and the lions is different from telling the story about the three bears. The Bible is relevant. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”
Kids can learn practical lessons now that will impact their lives and lead them in their decision making. By discussing the lesson in the story, kids learn to apply the Scriptures at any age.
2. Communicate to your children that the Bible is exciting.
Devotions shouldn’t be confined to the dinner table. Get kids running around, hunting for treasure, and solving problems. Remember that the language of children is activity. When teaching children spiritual truths, it’s best to use their own language. A family devotion time should be the most fun time of the week. If you speak their language, they’ll not only enjoy family time, but they’ll beg for more.
It doesn’t take long to have a family time like this, but it does take some planning. Just twenty to thirty minutes a week of structured together time produces lessons that you can come back to over and over again spontaneously for months. The message you’re teaching your children is that the Bible is exciting and relevant for their lives. That message, in their own language, will last forever.
Your Turn
What is the one thing you strive to keep in mind each day as you parent your children? Do your have any tips on how you make the Bible exciting and relevant in their lives? Leave a comment below – we’d love to hear from you!