As a DCE, preschool teacher, and mother, I often ask myself, “How can I possibly pass on everything there is to know and understand about the Bible?” When I look at the whole table of options, I find myself staring at the table, frozen with the feeling of being overwhelmed and stuck, not knowing where to even begin. The responsibility of passing on the faith, as a professional or a parent, can at times be overwhelming.
While I was in the midst of this struggle several years ago, God sent a kind, wise friend to remind me of something. He said to me, “Not every meal needs to be Thanksgiving dinner.”
Huh. Turns out, you don’t have to serve corn, potatoes, turkey, rolls, cranberries, stuffing, and everything at every meal. Some meals might just contain a little corn. Others, a few potatoes or slices of turkey. And sometimes it’s just a peanut butter sandwich. But all of these meals nourish the body and give it what it needs when it needs it. Not every meal even needs to be memorable, but it does need to be eaten.
When it comes to passing on the faith, the same concept applies. I know I’m not the only one who has at times gotten stuck at where to start when it comes to teaching the faith. What I’m learning over time is to do what I can, and then trust God when He says that
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven … so shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10–11).
You can start teaching your child faith literally from anywhere in the Bible. You get to just pick a place and go for it. God promises to be at work, using that regular exposure and teaching to grow faith in both you and your child. He also works through your daily caring conversations that offer the truth of His Word in the form of comfort, guidance, and love.
If you’re still struggling with how to get started, here are a couple of suggestions:
The relieving comfort of God is that He will always be at work where His Word is spoken. That includes both literal quotations and paraphrases in children’s Bibles or your own words. The important part is that it is spoken, passed on. In those regular readings and conversations that you have, God provides opportunity to offer comfort, guidance, and wisdom from His Word. No child is too young for any of those things.
God be with you as you raise and nurture your children in faith, one spiritual meal at a time.