So yesterday my 3 yr old and I had a long discussion in the car about some complicated piece of theology that I try to put in kid-terms. This actually happens a lot. Lately it's been along the lines of "if God didn't create germs, where did they come from?" So, how to explain Sin and "The Fall" to a 3 yr old...
After a few failed attempts, I finally came up with an explanation that he was happy with. Adam and Eve stopped listening to God, so bad things happened. When we listen to God, good things happen. This makes sense to him. I, however, struggle.
I recognize that I need to present these things on a level that he can understand, yet I struggle when I know I'm not really telling him the truth. Bad things happen all the time, even when we do listen to God. Again, I'm not going to try to impress this on him, yet I feel what is almost a moral dilemma that I am somehow brainwashing him by giving everything a rosy-glow and not giving him a true understanding of the amazing, wonderful challenge it is to follow God in the midst of bad things.
I don't really have an ending for this thought. It's just one that comes up a lot. How to lead my children in to a truth-filled, full relationship with God as they grow. I think this will be a life-long struggle.
My Journey
- Jana Lee
- I am a Jesus-follower, a minister, and a mom. I'm trying to be good at a lot of things and often this exhausts me. I love my kids, my husband, my church and my life. I want to share my journey with others, so this is my blog.
I'd say you're explanation was correct, but the last part could have been omitted. " when we listen to God good things happen". And then talk about how although bad things do happen on this earth, if we listen to God (know God...) we will be in heaven one day where bad things don't happen. ? Still kind of abstract but he may be ok with it. O asks tons of questions but so far she's pretty accepting with the whole heaven idea.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about how to explain things lately too. We pray for daddy's safety while he's at work. And one night I said, lets pray for daddy so he'll be safe. I realized I dont want her to think that our praying guarantees his safety, and if he's not safe she'll feel like i lied to her or God let her down. So, my friend suggested we think of it in terms of eternity. Please keep daddy safe but also talk about how we all want to be in heaven with Him (God) one day. She mentioned the childs prayer "now i lay me down to sleep I pray the lord my soul to keep if i die before i wake, i pray the lord my soul to take." She said its maybe too morbid, but i thought it was right on.
The thing is that I do believe much of what God asks us to do will lead us to good things in our lives. Not lying means people will trust you. A Sabbath rest and time worshiping God will lead you to a much more peaceful life, etc. So I do believe that listening to God means good things will happen, but it doesn't mean bad things won't happen.
ReplyDeleteOn the praying-for-Gene part: I heard a great sermon about prayer once that said instead of praying for safety we should pray that God uses us however God needs us (even if that means unsafe things happen). So...now I pray for both :).