I have been thinking about this Salvation series for two weeks now. And the more I think about it, the more nervous I get. I have never been shy about posting about Jesus on my personal blog–but the one time I did a real “theology” post it was so nerve-wracking I never did it again! I’m hoping this series comes across more helpful and less theology.

Today I want to talk about three scriptures. Three things Jesus says about kids. Three ideas that show Jesus’ desire to have a relationship with children. Let’s begin…

Matthew 18:2-6
He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. ³ And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.⁶ “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

We’ve all read this scripture before. We’ve all said it and hoped to emulate it–yes, we want the child-like faith. But do we realize what that verse meant? Especially at the time it was spoken?

Jesus’ disciples were arguing about who was the greatest in the kingdom. Can you imagine how much joy that brought Jesus? I’ll tell you–none! I can picture Jesus rolling his eyes and saying, “Guys! Are you kidding me? All this time with me and you still wanna know how to be the greatest?” Then he shakes his head and motions to one of the little boys hanging around. This little guy skips over to Jesus and Jesus gives him a high-five then tousles his hair. “Here he is. The greatest in the kingdom. If you want to enter heaven you need to be just like him.” To which the disciples are alternately scratching their heads and wistfully remembering their childhood. Jesus shakes them out of their revelry when he says, “By the way, if any of you causes one of my youngest disciples to mess-up it would be better for you to TIE A BOULDER AROUND YOUR NECK AND THROW YOURSELF IN THE OCEAN.”

*whew*

Jesus doesn’t just look at a kid see a future grown-up. Or an empty-headed little twerp. He sees a significant person–worthy of emulation, protection and relationship. Jesus expected children to have a relationship with Him–and expected others to recognize and help with that relationship.

Mark 10:13-16
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

photo by me. book by Dennis Jones.

This is my favorite passage about Jesus. I love how kids are trying to get to Jesus (or at least their parents are bringing them) and the disciples try to block them. They want the sick, needy and important people to get to Jesus first. But when Jesus sees this he gets TICKED. (He does. Look up the word “indignant” if you don’t believe me.)

Jesus wants the kids near Him—to know Him, to love on them and bless them. These kids weren’t trying to get anything from Jesus, they just wanted to be with him. And Jesus wanted the kids to have open access to Him. He wanted a relationship with them. And He wants a relationship with our kids, too. Oh, I want to LEAD my kids to Jesus and not hinder them!

Matthew 10:40-42
Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. ⁴¹ Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

This is a strange passage because at first it seems to be about hospitality–taking care of a prophet, or a righteous man, giving water to a child. But at closer look, the part that sticks out is “these little ones who is my disciple”. Jesus is looking at kids and saying they are his disciples. Like CURRENTLY a disciple! (Also seen in Matthew 18:2-6.) Just as a prophet or a righteous man is worthy of hospitality (and of issuing a reward) so is a child! Why? Because they are DISCIPLES of JESUS! This is a given for Jesus–kids ARE disciples and followers of Him!

And if we receive a reward for giving children cold water, how much more will our reward be if we offer LIVING WATER to our children?! I shiver to think about it!

These verses get me excited. I am partnering with Jesus. I am leading my kids to Him because that’s what HE WANTS! Jesus not only desires kids to have relationship with Him, He assumes it. And He expects adults to facilitate it!

Thoughts?

As a disclaimer, I *did* go to college for Bible and Theology. But I am not an expert. Nor do I get excited arguing theology and apologetics. I’m just a mom. So, if you like to argue, this is not the place. I want Impress Your Kids to be a place where others are encouraged and empowered to raise our kids for God. If you attack my readers (or our topic), I will delete and/or block you. {Sorry, nice people. It had to be said.}

I always buy books for the kids’ Christmas presents. This year Lydia got a Princess and the Pea book, an audio version of Madeline and my new favorite book, Big Thoughts for Little People: ABC’s to Help You Grow by Kenneth Taylor. Kenneth Taylor is the author (?) of the Living Bible and the founder of Tyndale Publishers. So, he’s no small-time author! He’s someone is very familiar with the Bible and with books!

It’s really a devotional book for kids. Each page is dedicated to a letter of the alphabet. There is a poem on the top to introduce the theme, a small devotional (usually with questions and interaction to go with the pictures), some follow up questions and a scripture. I wasn’t sure if Lydia would really like a “devotion” book that is only takes a few minutes to read. (That’s her biggest complaint at bedtime, “That book was super duper short!”) But she loves it! And I love it even more!

The thing that’s so great about this book is the poem on top. It gives a kid-friendly easy to understand description of an attitude our children should have. Here’s the letter B:

Don’t you love that? Every night when we read this, we read the poem line by line and try to memorize it. In fact, I’m so enamored with this book I’m starting a new ABC Verses for Asa and Lydia based on this book. I’ll do a few preschooly-letter-learning things with Lydia for each letter. And we’ll memorize the poem and the verse. Asa will do some fun letter activities and learn the verse, too.

I’m so excited about it. In fact, I need to get off the computer and plan the letter A for today!

source: leoheart

If you’ve been reading this blog for long you know my main passion in life is to raise my kids for the Lord. And some of you might think I just sit around all day and read Bible stories to my kids while we make elaborate matching crafts. Well, of course, that’s not even close to true. I struggle to think of good ways to impress my kids with God’s Word. And sometimes it’s not lack of creativity. Sometimes it’s the more personal, day-to-day things. Here are a few that stop me short…

1. Not planning ahead

This week our pastor said something that really stuck in my heart (and it’s about football, so you know how much it actually meant to me considering I barely know a football from a soccer ball): Most people spend more time planning their Fantasy Football team than planning their life.

Wow. I don’t do fantasy football, but I do like to plan birthday parties, blog posts and girls’ nights out. But when was the last time I sat down and PLANNED my life? How I’ll be a homemaker? A wife? A mother?

In order to impress my kids, I must plan it. If that means planning which verse we’ll learn this month or buying some craft supplies before we actually  need them, I’ve got to plan how and when I’m going to teach my kids’ God’s Word. Or it won’t get done.

What can you plan today?

2. Doubting my ability

God has gifted me. He’s put thumbprints on me that are unique from Him to me. My gifts? To teach. To create. To make every day things point to God.

When I dismiss those gifts and brush them off as things I used to do for the “more important” job of full-time pastoral ministry or pretend to be humble about what God has done? I’m short-changing my kids. God gave me these gifts not to just give me a career–but to use them in my family. As a working mom, a stay-at-home mom, or any any between, we know our opus will be our kids. We must use our unique abilities to impress God’s Word on their hearts!

What are your unique gifts from God?

source: lupinoduck

3. Trying to be original

When I know I’m going to post something on my blog, I want it to be original. I want people to come to the blog and say, “Great idea!” not, “Oh, yeah, I saw that on so-and-so’s blog already.” But this can stop me from doing fun stuff with my kids! There are tons of great blogs, magazines and friends that have great ideas–and copying is ok! In fact, that is the purpose of THIS blog. I hope you DO copy some of my ideas!

You might not try to be original because of your blog, but you might try too hard to come up with things on your own. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel! God pours out ideas and creativity on everyone so that we can all benefit from it!

What great idea have you seen that you can copy this week?

4. Trying to imitate others

On the other hand, it’s easy to just copy people. And the problem here is when we think we have to be JUST! LIKE! THEM! My friend Kat, from Inspired to Action wrote a beautiful blog post called Motherhood & Identity: Comparison and the List You Need To Tape To Your Forehead and it’s about…well, about me. She loves crafty stuff, but she just isn’t crafty. And she realized–she doesn’t have to be crafty! She inspires her kids and impresses God’s Word on their hearts in millions of other ways every single day!

There isn’t ONE way to impress your kids. There’s just the ONE way God’s given you!

What one comparison to others can you let go of  today?

source: richevenhouse

5. Letting other immediate things get in the way

I have great ideas all the time–make a craft! go out a field trip! memorize a verse! And then laundry, dinner, mail, lunch, showers, errands, house-cleaning, laundry, shopping, friends, facebook, blogging, chores and oh, laundry just get in the way. There are many immediate things that need to be done. But those immediate things are not always important. Don’t let the immediate needs of the unimportant take time away from your most important job–teaching your kids about Jesus.

What immediate need on your to-do list can you put aside today?

6. Relying on others

It’s easy to let parenthood’s main tool become the mini-van. We taxicab our kids to ballet to learn poise, soccer to learn athleticism, school to gain education, to playdates to learn sharing, to storytime to hear good literature and to church to meet God. And all that stuff is great when it is in ADDITION to what you are doing at home. We know PE isn’t going to teach our kids about healthy living as much as the food we eat at home. But we should also remember Sunday School isn’t going to teach our kids about God as much as WE WILL when we model God’s Word in our home.

Have you been relying on someone else to train your children in God’s commands?

7. No Interest

I started doing crafts with Lydia when she was around 2 years old. And she loved them from day one. Not only did she love them but she was obedient to every thing I told and showed her. She still loves to learn how to do new things. Asa, on the other hand, can barely sit still. He won’t repeat after me, he doesn’t like to look at things I want to show him. So, it’s easy for me to make an activity for Lydia and not think about Asa’s needs.

Your kids might seem disinterested in what you do, but guess what? It doesn’t matter. Your job is to impress your kids. Now, maybe you need to change your approach and find out what your kids like. But you can’t give up because they don’t like what you like!

Have you given up lately? Try again today!

source: sarahwampler

8. I don’t know what to do!

I usually find that when I am uninspired to do something with my kids about God’s Word, it’s because *I* haven’t spent any time in God’s Word. When I am reading my Bible, listening or reading to good Bible-based articles and books and meditating on sermons from church, I start thinking about fun stuff to teach the kids.

God will perk up our ears when our kids mention a hurt. He’ll remind us of a verse when we’re disciplining. He’ll show us a piece of our kids’ heart that needs love. We’ll always hear him quicker when we’ve been spending time with Him.

When was the last time you let God inspire you?

9. I just don’t wanna.

I’m too tired. I can’t get everything done. I can’t think of anything to do. The excuses are unending. I have a blog called IMPRESS YOUR KIDS and sometimes I just don’t WANNA!

Do you know the one thing that’s helped me the most with this attitude? Getting up early. Doing the #hellomornings challenge from Inspired To Action has changed my attitude. I get the ME time and the GOD time I need that in turn flows into time with my children.

What could unplug that NOT WANNA in your life?

source: shannonashley

10. What keeps you from Impressing Your Kids?

{This post was inspired by a talk from our pastor this week. Click to hear the whole series, Game Plan.}

linked to Top Ten {Tuesday}