I just had to share this! This was an email from my sister-in-law with her daughter (my niece).
Out of the mouth of babes!
Last night, I was reading through one of my theology books (Karl Barth’s – God Here And Now) and Gracie was snacking at the table across from me. She paused and asked me what I was reading and if I would read it to her:
Mommy: “Oh, it’s a book about God – for grownups. You wouldn’t understand it. You’ll have to wait until you grow up a little bit more.”
Gracie: “Don’t you remember that story you told me about the mommies who took their babies to see Jesus and they wanted Him to pray for them and He said, ‘Let the little children come to Me’?'”
Mommy: “Yes.”
Gracie: “Well? Are you going to read that book to me now?”
I was speechless.
We tend to forget that our kids are like sponges – they haven’t had the chance to feel “dried up” . . they are like new sponges – ready to soak up and hold more than we can imagine. Without you even knowing it you are already pouring into their little sponge minds. My question for you is . . .
What are you pouring into it?
I need to do a deeper examination here today.
Our kids have more faith than we do many times. So give them the truth of God – not watered down – but the truth of God’s love, healing power, forgiveness, and more! They won’t doubt like we do. Point out God’s word in action – ie. answers to prayers, blessings, protection, etc. You will be pouring the best “water” into them to give them LIFE . . and life more abundantly! 🙂 ( I love it when my kids point out to me the ways God took care of them or blessed them during the day! Their eyes and ears are being trained to “see” and “hear” God!)
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
Proverbs 22:6
Yes, we do our best to offer Gracie a non-watered-down (and fair/objective) education of religious ideas from all religions, different philosophies and world-views, culture, art, history (from several points-of-view whenever possible), discoveries in natural sciences, etc. etc. She continues to be an inquisitive child, and we hope to do our best to cultivate an environment where she can learn to be informed and able to use her reasoning skills effectively in coming to (at least provisional) conclusions and decisions in her life. We hope to raise her to be a compassionate, open-minded, and well-rounded adult who will find fulfillment in whatever path she chooses for her life.
~Gracie’s Mommy