If you’ve got a kid in your life, you’ve got an opportunity to point that kid to Jesus! Whether that kid is your own child, your grandchild, or even a niece or nephew, you have been given the gift of pouring into her life in a way that could point her to Jesus. If you’re ready to allow God to use you to draw your child into a relationship with Him, read on for five easy ideas! (And enjoy some pics of my cute kids along the way!)
**Have babies in your life? Read these 5 simple ways to point your baby to Jesus!**
1. Cultivate Independence
Kids love to do things by themselves. There’s a sense of pride that emerges when they accomplish something they’ve never done before. The first time he makes it across the monkey bars or the first time he rides his bike without training wheels, he’ll feel a huge sense of pride. Your job as a parent is to celebrate these amazing feats of independence! Make a BIG deal out of them and let your child know how proud you are that he did it all by himself! You’re not just giving him a pat on the back to swell his ego, you’re letting him know that you’re he is able to do something all on his own. This is an important step in his walk with the Lord because a step toward Jesus is one he will need to take on his own.
These steps toward independence aren’t just for the playground though. Prompt your child to say his own prayer at bedtime or read a Bible verse from his own Bible. Teach him to sing during the worship service at church and to serve others through the church ministries. He is an important part of the body of Christ and he is able to have his own relationship with the Lord! When your child has had the opportunity to hone his skills through the independence you’ve given him, he’ll be ready when the Holy Spirt calls him to make a decision to follow Christ with his life. And once he’s made that decision, his independent spirit will allow him to grow in sanctification.
2. Establish Routines
Kids thrive with routines! Create morning routines, school routines, and bedtime routines any time you can. These routines give them a sense of security and help them develop good habits. Don’t underestimate the importance of establishing these routines early on. You’ll reap the benefits of an orderly home, but more than that, you’ll allow space for your child to establish spiritual disciplines as well.
Do you want your child to grow into an adult that cherishes daily time with God? Then it’s time to establish a daily time with God now! There’s no magic age for a child to start spending time with the Lord, but once they start school, they’re definitely ready to start incorporating daily spiritual disciplines. Don’t be afraid to show your child how to pray from her heart or how to read through a book of the Bible. Start with the story of Jesus – the book of Luke is an excellent jumping off point because it’s the story of Jesus. Help your child establish a daily time with the Lord that she can carry with her to adulthood.
Read 5 Routines to Build a Strong Home!
3. Require Obedience
Requiring obedience doesn’t just set you up to have a peaceful home, although that is definitely a benefit. When you require obedience from your child, you give him the gift of understanding how he should respond to the Lord. If your child learns to obey you, he is in a better position to respond to God in obedience as well.
This sounds simple in theory, but it requires discipline on your part as a parent in order to hold your child accountable for obedience. The key is to parent with the long-game in mind. Sometimes it’s easier to let things slide if you’re busy or distracted, but it’s worth the effort to require obedience. This is definitely easier to implement when your child is very young, but it’s never too late to start! You should expect immediate obedience from your child when you give him instructions. As he grows in his relationship with the Lord, he’ll be ready to respond with immediate obedience when God speaks to Him!
4. Allow Mistakes
Your child will give you plenty of opportunities to respond to her mistakes. Some mistakes will happen at home, others will happen at school, still others will happen when you’re out and about. Your response to her mistakes will send a strong message about her need for a Savior. Instead of letting your frustration show, take a deep breath and remember how God responds to you when you mess up. He doesn’t yell or berate you, does he? God always responds to us in love, even when our mess-ups are intentional sin. His goal is always to restore us.
So when your child spills a glass of milk, melts Styrofoam in the toaster oven at a friend’s house, or even deliberately disobeys you, remember that your response will give her a picture of God’s response. Give her appropriate consequences and punishment when it’s needed, but never forget that you are modeling the way she will come to understand God’s grace and forgiveness. A child that learns this at home during childhood will be able to come to God with the mistakes she’ll inevitably make in young adulthood because you’ve modeled God’s forgiveness to her all her life.
5. Model Intimacy
Every day is an opportunity to show your child what your relationship with God looks like. Is your relationship with God confined to Sunday morning church attendance or saying the blessing at meal time? Or do you have a strong, consistent relationship with the Lord that encompasses every part of your life? Your child is definitely watching you. If pointing your child toward Jesus is your goal, you’ll need to make sure that you are walking toward Him first.
Remember it’s never too late to start! Maybe you haven’t always modeled intimacy with God in front of your child. Now is the perfect time to show him what a relationship with God looks like. Let him catch you reading your Bible when he comes out of his room in the morning. Tell him what God has been teaching you lately. When you pray out loud, don’t just repeat the same old sing-song prayer – let your words come from your heart and model that intimacy for him to see. Sometimes this kind of modeling can feel a bit awkward, especially if you’re just starting out. Take baby steps and don’t be afraid to show your child what intimacy with God looks like.
Check out my favorite parenting book ever right here!
