Teach Them Diligently

Children are so sweet and innocent, yet they are sinners and need to be shown the way to God.

Children are very trusting and eager to believe. That's good, yet it is frightening, because they will believe anything. That puts a big responsibility on us to make sure they get the truth.

I love teaching the young classes at Sunday School or Vacation Bible School. I love to tell the stories of Jesus to someone who's never heard them before. I love to see their faces when the Lord shows His power in the stories of Joshua and Gideon. I love to teach them the truths about my God.

By the time they leave my class, I like them to know these facts about God:

1. The Bible is God's Word and is completely true.
2. God made them and everything around them.
3. God is everywhere and knows all things.
4. God can do anything. (teach the word "miracle")
5. God is holy, pure, and hates sin. (teach the word "sin")
6. God loves us, and sent us His Son to take the punishment of our sins.

A little boy once had to fetch something from his bedroom one evening. As he walked into the darkened room, he said, "God, I know you're in here, but don't move, or you'll scare me out of my socks!"

Most of a child's teaching about God doesn't come from church. It comes from you as you live day by day. The years before they become busy with school and other activities is the time to teach them. Establish a foundation of truth in their minds as you talk with them each day. It doesn't have to be a set Bible time, but part of your normal conversations as you work and play with them.

Teach them about God's creation when you walk to the mailbox. Teach them the difference between true stories and pretend stories when you watch TV or read books. Talk about sin; talk about heaven; talk about miracles. Make the things of God a natural topic of conversation.

When my daughter was very young, she had trouble understanding what it meant to die. I prayed that I would be able find a way to show her. The next day, our cat brought in a dead bird. As we examined the lifeless animal, I was able to explain that the wages of sin is death and that she died to take the punishment for our sins.

Teach them to talk to God, not a memorized prayer, but to talk to him as friend, anytime and anywhere. Children seem to understand prayer better than most adults. They have no doubts when they approach God. They come to Him trusting and believing that He hears them and will answer.

Deuteronomy 6:7
"Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,
and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house,
and when thou walkest by the way,
and when thou liest down,
and when thou risest up."


(Look for more examples of childlike faith next week.
If you have any stories of your child learning about God,
I'd love to hear them.)