Between teaching our children to wash their hands, share their toys and eat their vegetables are we neglecting to teach them essential biblical truths?
“For God so loved the world that He gave His Son.” John 3:16
Greg Nettle suggests we start with is teaching them that God is for them.
“The crazy thing is I don’t think most children today believe that God is really for them; I don’t believe that most people really believe that. If we can get in our hearts that God really is for us and He wants what’s best for us.”
He explains how to apply the truth that God is for us in conversations.
“If we can help children understand God is for you:
‘As you head off to school today, I just want you to know that God on your side.’
‘God is for you in a way that He wants you to be a super hero today.’
While it’s important for children to know that God is on their side, we also need to remind them that God is with them. Greg encourages parents to use examples from Scripture in explaining this to children.
“What I would say is, God started showing up in things like a pillar of fire, a cloud, a burning bush, or in the lion’s den. God was manifesting Himself and showing people that, ‘I am with you.’”
God is for us, He is with us, and He is one of us. Not only is He one of us, but He lives in us.
“God moved into the neighborhood, if you will, and He became one of us in Jesus Christ. If we can let that sink in and understand Jesus, then Jesus can come to live in us.”
These are essential truths to remember when caring for children and teaching them about the presence of God in their lives.
Greg Nettle is President of Stadia, a global church planting organization. He has a God-given passion for the Church and its responsibility to plant new churches… churches specifically designed to reach out to children at physical and spiritual risk. Greg is the co-author of several books including, Small Matters: How Churches and Parents Can Raise Up World-Changing Children.
Small Matters
