This morning I’m going to stick with the “learning from the children” theme from yesterday’s post.
Some of the “post-posting” discussion centered around the idea that we teach children, and the concern was aired that teaching comes along with the risk of indoctrination. That’s a useful discussion, but what I’m more interested in today is the part about what we can learn from children. Personally, I’ve found that hanging out with kids involves as much learning as teaching – and most especially when I have held the role of “leader” or “teacher.”
I came across the following story some years back; I’ve repeated it several times, but I don’t think I’ve shared in this blog. The story goes like this:
Shortly after a couple brought child-number-two home from the hospital, their daughter – just four or five years old – kept repeating the same request: “I want to talk to the baby. But I need to be by myself.”
The parents, concerned about sibling jealously, and safety, said “No, not by yourself.”
But the little girl was insistent. Finally, the parents relented, but left the door open a crack so they could hear everything and be in a position to intervene.
Their daughter climbed on a stool, leaned into the crib, and looked seriously into the baby’s face. This is what her parents heard:
“I love you baby Joe. Would you please tell me everything about God – I’m beginning to forget.”
MUTUAL LEARNING: I believe several things go on in a home where faith in God is practiced and passed on to the next generation. I believe that children bring the raw material of a natural, divinely implanted, spiritual connection to God, and then I believe that parents (and the faith-community) help to nurture that natural faith in the context of living out the joy and the blessings of the Gospel of Love.
Additionally, to the extent that we are open to the Spirit, we adults have the opportunity to learn about God from the children, through the purity of their witness, young hearts that are open and uninhibited by the persistent practice of values and priorities that separate us from the knowledge of God.
And so, for my video-post today, I’m sharing the arrangement of “Jesus Loves Me This I Know“ that I wrote for the memorial service when my niece, Hannah (and her husband, Andrew), lost their yet-to-be-born child, Audrey Rose, a couple of years back, a child who – I believe – already knew God.
Sometimes the simple, uncluttered faith of a child brings me back to the heart of the reality God wants me understand – DEREK
![127161-simple-black-square-icon-media-a-media22-arrow-forward1[1]](https://i0.wp.com/derekmaul.blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/127161-simple-black-square-icon-media-a-media22-arrow-forward11.png){kind=icon}
Derek,
I have been reading your blog for a few years now and have enjoyed them. The ones I really like are those that generate opposing comments or questions, the ones that challenge and therefore force me to think deeper.
I enjoyed Tim McRoberts comments yesterday re: reasoning and critical thinking, as well as your responses. As you may know, our life took a turn about 6 years ago, which caused a rattling of faith. What I struggled with was my failure as a parent when I thought I was doing everything “right” and according to the instructions of the Bible yet life went in another direction. I spent a great deal of time evaluating my interpretation of the Bible based on childhood teachings and indoctrination of sin and grace. I questioned everything: where’s God when it hurts, what really is grace, what really is sin, and why, if we are Christians, is there so much hate and judgment flung at others who are different? Do people rebuke simply because deep down they fear?
My family now lives in the epicenter of conservative fundamentalism (Colorado Springs), home of many religious organizations that have promoted good things about Christianity but are also quite critical of those who think differently than they. It’s frightening, and quite frankly, sad, to sit in Panera and hear the conversations swirling around me. So many expressions of love thy neighbor while at the same time, condemnation of this so-called ‘neighbor’ who doesn’t believe exactly in the same way. I’ve had more people here than anywhere else the military has sent us ask if we go to a ‘Bible-believing’ church. Huh? Is that the kind of Christian I want my child to become? One who is quick to reproach & judge?
Yes, I agree wholeheartedly that we need to teach children our beliefs but we also need to show our values, such as kindness to the clerk, gratefulness when your spouse and children do something ordinary like the dishes, gentleness with the dog, helpfulness to your neighbor, etc, etc. Our children are watching! We also need to be careful how we phrase our beliefs, we want our children to learn about God and Jesus but without being so dogmatic they fear rejection when asking the hard questions. We want their belief/faith to become their own and certainly not something they’ve blindly accepted.
I love Jesus, appreciate the diversity of God’s children and marvel at His love for each of us, even the nonconformists. And I agree with all my heart, I think our children teach us far more than we can ever teach them, no matter their age.
Keep writing! Nancy
Awesome, Nancy. I’ve always appreciated your spirit.
If you didn’t view the video take a couple of minutes. I make a comment about faith (after the song) that should resonate.
Love and blessings – Derek
Just had a thought on differing opinions, and adding or taking away from what the bible says. The bible is either God’s book and is by definition divinely inspired and perfect, or it’s a book written by men that holds no more truth or meaning than the latest bestseller at Barnes and Noble. I get people who believe the second part, but I don’t understand people who want it both ways.