What Children Teach Us About Our Faith Walk

Parenting

Children are truly a treasure from the Lord, as Steve Green so beautifully sings. When you become a parent, everything changes! When my first baby was handed to me for the first time, I felt intense unconditional love, compassion but also overwhelmed, all at the same time. Though unconditional love was the overarching feeling, I instantly felt shaken when I realized this helpless little person completely depended on her dad and I for survival.

My husband and I went from sleeping in on weekends to many sleepless nights, like many new parents experience.  I  personally went from “let me pick up my cute handbag and go shopping”, to strollers, car seats and perpetual piggyback rides. The overwhelming feelings eased up a little when my second baby arrived, but the sense of responsibility was even more compounded. As my children grow older and begin to do a little more for themselves, I can’t help but reflect on the many lessons they’ve taught me.

Children and the Bible

My children have taught me so much about how God wants my relationship with him to look like. Children are certainly not saints without fault and if you think the are, just wait until they hit the terrible two’s! They do,however, posses so many special qualities that we seem to grow out of with age. In fact, Jesus pointed to Children as examples we are to emulate, in our faith walk.

Here some of the lessons I’m learning about my relationship with my heavenly Father, as I watch my children grow.

Humility

Children don’t put on airs or puff themselves up at the expense of others. When they first come into this world, they are totally dependent on someone else for survival and basic needs. As they grow older, they run to mommy or daddy when hurt, because they know their limitations. Pride is something that children don’t naturally cultivate.

Lesson
Humbly run to God when in pain.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10

Nourishment

Small babies have a natural instinct to crave for milk. They let you know when they are hungry and will not stop crying until they are fed . Milk is all the can have at that stage and it’s all they need. This is what causes them to grow.

Lesson
Long for and depend on the Word of God the way babies crave for and depend on milk.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 1 Peter 2:2

Forgiveness

Watching children at play is so intriguing. They will play nicely together for a while, until someone get’s selfish and stops sharing.  It’s possible to break up a fight one minute and see the kids hand in hand later, in a matter of minutes. Wow! They forgive so quickly  and usually don’t carry hurts  or grudges to the next day.

Lesson
Learn to forgive quickly and don’t hold on to enslaving grudges.

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Col 3:13

Dreaming

Children love to dream big and explore their world. They are intrigued by everything around them. They are intuitively perceptive of how exciting this world is and how their presence impacts it. They have a sense of wonder and awe!

Lesson
Dream big and explore all the gifts God has so lavishly given you. Enjoy God’s creation.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, Ephesians 3:20

Truthful

Unless they think they will get in trouble for it, most children will tell the truth about anything. How many parents have been embarrassed by their unprepared kids who ousted them, while trying to tell a white lie. Kids usually tell it as it is.

Lesson:

Tell the truth!

But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head. Ephesians 4:15

Expressive

Children are not ashamed to show their emotions. They scream when excited and cry when in pain, uninhibited by their surroundings. Give a kid a piece of paper and a pencil and their expressive nature starts to flow. They tell us a whole lot by what they draw and write.

Lesson:
Express your need to the Lord as it is. If you’re in pain, show Him. If you are ecstatic about something, share it with Him. Relate to Him as one who truly cares about every aspect of your life, because He does.

Hope in him at every hour, oh, people, and pour out your hearts before him, because God is our refuge. Ps 62:8

Faith

Children have a simple and yet profound faith. Their trust is without boundaries, when they know they are loved. Young children think concretely. They take words and actions for what they are.

Lesson
Take the Lord at His word. If He says it, He means! Walk by faith and walk where God leads you, with no hesitation.

You keep completely safe the people who maintain their faith, for they trust in you. Is 26:3

My daily prayer is that I continue  to teach my children the ways of the Lord, by example. I pray that they grow up to be women who walk by faith, humility and compassion. In the mean time, I will continue to learn  from them.

May you enjoy the children in your life and learn from them precious lessons of Faith, Love and Hope!