Why some young people reject God
What parents need to do to keep your kids on the right path
The verse for today:
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” - Deuteronomy 6:6-7.
The traditional flu shot contains a small amount of the virus. Scientists discovered that God designed our bodies to fight the virus and by so doing build up an immunity to the flu.
Sadly many parents do the same thing with their children when it comes to God. They give their children a small amount of religion, sporadic church attendance and rarely mention God in the home except as a curse word. They inoculate their kids with a small amount of Christianity so that when they get older, they grow immune to God.
Young children study their parents to learn how to live this life. If faith in God is NOT a priority to the parents, it will not be a priority to their kids.
So what is the secret to training children to love God and His word? Deuteronomy 6 gives us 3 important commands:
Get God’s word into your heart and mind.
Then teach your children about God and His commands.
Talk about God as you live life with your children.
We can only reproduce what we are. And you can only teach what you know. So fall in love with the Lord and His word so that you can teach your children about the Lord anytime day and night. You don’t have to preach at kids. Just make God a part of the ongoing conversation in your family. Real Christianity is contagious.
Look, we tend to talk about the things we love like: sports, cars, family… If you don’t love God enough to talk about Him, your children won’t love Him either.
One caveat: Your children have a free-will and just as the first humans rebelled against God, so can children raised in a Christian home. There are no guarantees but I believe the odds are much better of raising godly kids if parents do what Deuteronomy 6 says.
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” — Proverbs 22:6
The home is the foundation of any country. And to help parents and grandparents with young children, I wrote and illustrated a children’s book that teaches children the gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s called The Good Shepherd. You can get it here.
Why some young people reject God is heartbreaking, but so true. I am continually surprised how little children today know about God. I can still see the puzzled look on their little faces when I ask them “Who can tell me God’s Ten Commandments?”
The Good Shepherd is an excellent book! It’s pleasing to the eye, draws children into the teaching moment because children love rhyme and it is a story children understand and remember. It is a perfect way to let children know how much Jesus loves them, what He wants them to do and what He has done for them. The Good Shepherd leaves children wanting to know more about Jesus - to the Bible we go!
I filed this Gary Varvel email under, “Best Advice”. - Thanks, Gary.