When coping with obstacles in daily life, it can be challenging to stop and take time to sit down and talk formally with children about Jesus, studying the Bible together in a calm, sit-down, peaceful way. Is this an ideal way to learn about Jesus? Is there a one-size-fits-all way to learn about Jesus and his love for us? How do children learn best? There are many ways to answer these questions, and children respond to many and diverse strategies for learning.
No matter the method or what may be going on in our lives, an essential piece of understanding the words of God is this: "You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise" (Deuteronomy 11:22 ESV).
Here Moses emphasizes to the Israelites the importance of filling our lives with God's word so our children see it and are immersed in it. We are examples for them, and if they see us abiding in Him, they will learn about Him.
In his discipleship, Jesus emphasizes, "Let the little children come to me" (Matthew 19:14 ESV), and they can learn the way to him if we show them how we reach out to him.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, while working from home and also helping my own son, a Kindergartener, finish out his schoolwork from home, I have been worried about finding a balance and that I haven't been taking enough time to sit down with my kids to intentionally engage in formal Bible study with them aside from watching our church's online services and praying together, but God reminded me today that He is working with us and protecting us. We can strive to live with Him and for Him, but being perfect isn't the answer. That is why we need Him. My reminder came this morning. While I was starting out the day, my daughter came into the kitchen and asked to read a book. My response was, "Let's read about Jesus," and in my own mind, I was thinking, "Okay, what should we read next?" My 2-year-old when straight to the bookshelf and pulled out our children's Bible. We read about David and Goliath and John the Baptist. My 6-year-old son chose the stories.
While I was beginning to come up with a formal lesson about Jesus, my daughter went straight to the heart of where we can seek him. While I opened to the table of contents considering what topic might be helpful for today's challenges, my son picked stories that he enjoyed and that came to mind for him. He even read some of the pages for us! (So that Kindergarten reading practice helped in Bible study as well!)
Striving to be the best example or teach a formal, perfect lesson isn't the answer. Stressfully trying to "do it right" isn't the answer. Turn to Jesus. Seek God. He will show us the way. He is with us. Our children learn as we go, and by having Jesus in our lives and talking about him and praying to him, our children begin to understand how to live for him and the essentials.
PRAYER: Thank you, Jesus, for being with us everyday and filling our lives with your guidance and comfort. Please help us to see and understand your reminders in our lives. In your sweet name and faith in you we pray. Amen.
