Teaching Young Children about the Kingdom of God.

March 2nd, 2008

Our family was sitting at the dinner table with another couple sharing about our lives etc.  I had asked the couple to tell us about what they were doing in ministry.  The sweet older man started with “I got saved at 9 and…” and Jackson stopped him and said, “Saved from what?”  The man said “Hell”  and Jackson looked at us a little perplexed.   Jackson said “Saved from Hell?” and looked at him strangely.  He smiled and said “I will let your Mom and Dad deal with that one.” Jackson then looked at us questioningly.  We translated for him and said, “When he was 9 he decided to make Jesus his king and let him be the leader of his life.”  Jackson looked at him and said “Oh, I decided to do that at 5.” The man gently smiled at him and said “Good for you!” and then we went on with the discussion.  We had to adjust the language for him to understand what we were talking about.

This same type of thing happened for us last summer.  We were visiting a friends house, and she starting singing the song with the verse, “Don’t let Satan (blow) it out, I’m going to let it shine.”  Jackson stopped the whole song with, “Who is Satan?”.  Talk about feeling like the slacker Mom who doesn’t teach her kids.

It was at that awkward point, I realized, we don’t really focus on all of that with our kids being so young.  We focus on Jesus and his Lordship and his kingdom and that their are those in the kingdom and those outside of the kingdom waiting to be invited into the kingdom of God through Jesus and that we, as God’s peole get to do that. I think, for young children, if we focus on the person of Jesus and his great love for us, his shepherding and protection of his people and the opportunity to allow him to lead us, a very natural allegiance to him as King will develop without the unhealthy “fire insurance” that inoculates people to discipleship to Jesus.  I’ve prayed a prayer and now I am good and I don’t have to really follow Him with my real life.

So know that Jackson has deeper understanding, these topics (Satan and hell) are naturally coming up and we discuss them together.  It has been really good studying about people from ancient Rome.  We then talked about the armor of God and what we are fighting as God’s people.  He is always bringing that up now, as a 6.5 year old boy as he wants to fight battles.

My prayer is that Mike and I gently lead our children into the kingdom of God, always placing importance on discipleship to Jesus and his kingship. I wanted to leave it here in case it may be helpful to someone else.

Grace and Peace to all!

Entry Filed under: Kids and the Kingdom, Simple Faith