“Quit sticking your fingers in his eye”
“We don’t scream in Target, buddy.”
“Yes, dogs that are missing a leg can still run fast.”
Motherhood will have you saying sentences that you’ve never uttered before in your life. These little years from birth through age 12 are such a rapid, wonderful whirlwind of learning, hilarious questions and instruction. They are absorbing so many things at the same time – social skills, mathematics, cooking, reading, playing with others, decision-making – it’s really amazing when you consider just how much growth is happening in these years that you don’t even see.
When we homeschool or send them to a public school, we are rightly acknowledging that these skills don’t develop by accident. Our children may be wildly capable, but without instruction, these skills will never be developed. We train them in matters of kindness and respect, because unlike crawling or rolling over, these skills don’t naturally appear with age.
The same is true when we consider their spiritual identity and walk with the Lord. I think many times we leave the spiritual things for later, when children are older and can understand broad concepts more readily. To me, that would be like never reading books to your child until they are old enough to understand the concept of letters and phonics. Or banning them from cooking until they can properly manipulate fractions and measurements. So many of these learned skills actually start in the toddler years, on a level that they can get involved with, then they progress from there. Spiritual identity is no different.
Your child may not be able to understand the concept of propitiation for sins, or the types and shadows of the Old Testament that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ, but she can understand that the Creator God is the only God. That He made her, loves her, and has a path of blessing for her to follow (obedience to mom and dad).
In Deuteronomy, the Lord gives Moses commandments and statutes for the people of Israel to follow. In Chapter 6, he gives them a picture of what it looks like to train the next generation in the way they should go.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up”(Deuteronomy 6:4-7).
Moses knew a thing or two about establishing spiritual identity early. He was nursed by his Hebrew momma for the first three to four years of his life. After that, he was raised exclusively by the best that Egypt had to offer. Trained in diplomacy, politics, language, and law, he was primed for a position in royal leadership. But Moses’ momma had put a spiritual identity in him that caused him to view the Hebrew people as his people. He knew that he was not Egyptian and that their many gods were not his God.
Instruction in the things of God sometimes feels like yet another to-do in our calendar that is already full of life and ministry. Thankfully, God gives us a picture of weaving this identity and love for Him into our everyday lives. Naptimes, bathtimes, car rides, bedtime prayer, while cooking dinner – these are great times to teach children about the God of Abraham and Isaac who is their God, too.
Some great places to start are Scripture memorization and talking about fundamental truths. My two-year-old has impressed my socks off with how clearly he can remember Scripture when it’s sung in a song or a jingle! There are lots of versions on YouTube. Learn them together and sing them in the house, when you walk by the way and lie down to sleep. Family prayer before bed is essential, be as consistent with it as you can. We are not training children to simply follow us, but to follow Jesus.
My husband and I have developed little songs and phrases that we repeat with our boys throughout our day to teach them Who they belong to. “Who made you?” “God made me!” Then we go through each of his family members or friends and say, “Who made Sally?” “God made Sally!” He doesn’t know it, but we are teaching him that all people are made in the image of God. Later, he will learn that even people who mock us or reject God, were created by God and that God’s love is unconditional.
When we teach Scripture and biblical ideas, we are pointing our children back to the only Absolute Truth, not just what culture thinks is best at the moment.
Some Scripture ideas to get you started:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” - Deuteronomy 6:4-5
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
“A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger.” - Proverbs 15:1
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” - Proverbs 3:5-7
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” - Acts 2:38
