14May2008

Hiding Sin

Posted by Michelle under: Lying; Salvation; Uncategorized.

This morning I was reading Psalm 32, and I decided it would be a good passage to talk about, since we’ve been dealing with some truth issues. Here’s how the conversation went:

Did you know that one time King David was hiding his sin? Do you think he was happy or sad when he was hiding his sin?

Bethel: He was sad.

Did you know he wrote about it? Here is what he said. [mommy reads verses] He’s saying that he was miserable. Have you ever really wanted water and not been able to have any? What do you think about when you are really really thirsty? David was miserable, and although he tried to be happy, he wasn’t, because he was hiding his sin.

Bethel: I was hiding my sin yesterday.

Oh? [shock, because I don't remember anything out of the ordinary yesterday]. When were you hiding your sin?

Bethel: I was hiding my sin when I was coloring.

[Still not understanding or remembering] What sin were you hiding?

Bethel: I didn’t want to clean, so I was hiding and coloring.

Oh. [Now I remember] King David was happy when he made it right, when he asked God to forgive him.

Bethel: I’m not hiding my sin right now.

How thankful I am that God prompted me to read my Bible this morning. How thankful I am that He prompted me to talk about what I was reading. Although David didn’t comment much, he was paying close attention. I’m thankful for what God showed me that He is working in their lives. I should be willing to parent on faith, but it’s a tremendous encouragement when I see what’s going on under the surface occasionally.

How has God’s Word changed you this week? How are you pursuing wisdom in God’s Word?

Popularity: 54% [?]

Popularity: 54% [?]

30April2008

A New Creature

Posted by Michelle under: Getting Along; Salvation; Wisdom.

We’ve found a few mourning cloak caterpillars a few weeks ago that quickly pupated upon capture. We’ve been waiting and this morning one came out dramatically.

Such a memorable event might very well stay with them for a long time; thus, it is a good opportunity to teach them an important spiritual truth along with it. I told them that the butterfly isn’t anything like the caterpillar it used to be (Bethel was wondering whether the caterpillar were still in the chrysalis). God made a new animal out of that caterpillar. Our hearts are the same way. On our own, our hearts are selfish and proud. God must make new, pure hearts. That’s what happens when we become Christians.

We’ve been saying the Corinthians passage all morning. Hopefully we’ll have it memorized by the time daddy comes home tonight. And the Psalm 51 passage has a tune that I know, so we’ve sung that a couple of times. We might even be able to make a play or something out of the event.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthian 5:17).

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).

Already, I’ve pointed out to one child that the actions coming out of his heart showed he needed God to change his heart.

How about you? Has God given you any good opportunities to teach something memorable to your children lately?

Popularity: 67% [?]

Popularity: 67% [?]

18April2008

Awareness of Guilt

Posted by Michelle under: Salvation.

Two children both wanted the F-22 cup at breakfast this morning. Since David went to get the cups, I allowed him to choose how to divide them up. I prefer to encourage them to be unselfish, rather than requiring it, since I think it means more when they have a choice. Sometimes I do ask them to allow someone else to have the best or first of something (particularly with guests), but this morning I didn’t.

First, I pointed out that it is loving to consider another person’s desires more than our own.

The response was Mom, I haven’t had this cup in a long time.

Then I pointed out that sister hadn’t had the cup either in quite awhile.

He responded with a question: Am I allowed to choose who to give it to?

I tried again. I mentioned that God’s standard of love is very difficult. We cannot love like God wants us to without his help.

He told his sister that she could have it tomorrow. At this, she wept.

After I tried to help sister respond biblically, I made the comment (addressed to nobody in particular) that being selfish might get us what we want in the first place, but it doesn’t really make us happy. My goal was to put a name to the feeling of guilt that I hoped was present in my son, just as I label concrete things for his baby sister.

Later I noticed that he was working quite diligently, with remarkable initiative. I think he was feeling guilty, and trying to feel better. I decided to ask him about it later.

I told him that I noticed that he worked hard getting things ready for Bible study. Then I asked about the cup incident. Do you remember this morning when you wanted the F-22 cup? Did getting it make you happy?

Truthfully, I expected a yes answer, but he said not really. When I asked why, he said that Bethel was sad. I told him again that we think getting what we want will make us feel good, but if we’re being selfish, we feel bad. We feel guilty when we have sinned.

I stumbled around some. I started to say that we cannot make God happy when we do good things, but I’m not sure that’s accurate. I changed my sentence to say that we cannot become right with God by doing good things. I still feel like I’m double talking when I talk about his position before God before salvation, and his position before God as a result of salvation.

Ultimately, I am thanking the Lord for this opportunity to talk about spiritual things, and for the evidence that his understanding of sin and guilt is growing. Without this understanding, God’s grace and the joy of forgiveness doesn’t make sense or seem necessary.

Popularity: 25% [?]

Popularity: 25% [?]

21March2008

Easter Story Too Violent

Posted by Michelle under: Communication and Meaning; Salvation.

Authors of a Sunday school curriculum explained recently why they were omitting the Crucifixion and Resurrection from their preschool curriculum. They made this choice for two reasons: first, that the crucifixion is too violent for preschoolers, and second, preschoolers are unable to grasp what it means to die and be raised again.

Apart from the emotional shock of hearing that someone took out the crucifixion and resurrection from a curriculum, their actions and reasoning bear consideration. After all, I haven’t seated my seventeen-month-old child down to explain that Jesus died on a cross for her. I’m very protective about my children’s exposure to violence, and I’m nearly certain that the resurrection is beyond the comprehension of my three year old.

Examine the Objections

Let’s examine both objections. First, some suggest that the crucifixion is too violent for preschoolers. In response, we might be tempted to compare the crucifixion story with the violent cartoons and programs children watch on television. We might observe that a good many children are sadly aware of violence beyond their ability to handle, or rather, that children long ago were exposed far more often to death than children in the United States today. These are not the best places to begin a rebuttal. In the first place, anecdotal evidence doesn’t answer the question of whether the resurrection story is inappropriately violent for preschoolers, and in the second, one must understand that arguing that the resurrection is too violent presupposes that children understand the story, something argued against in this document not even two sentences later. To argue both positions is logically difficult to reconcile.

Arguing that children should be taught only what they are capable of understanding is a separate question that has further implications than simply whether to teach the crucifixion to preschoolers. The ramifications of this position are significant, and should not be taken lightly.

Anecdotes Are Poor Support

Instead of presenting personal anecdotes or comparisons, consider first the objection to violence. It is not a spurious concern, because research has clearly demonstrated a causal relationship between violence and ill-effects on young children. Still, we must ask whether the evidence can be applied to the biblical story of the cross. In these studies, what kind of violence is being measured? Overwhelmingly, researchers study either real-life violence (such as a study measuring social well-being of children is Kosovo), or television violence. Quite simply, the very real damage of real-life violence and realistic violence on television cannot be compared with validity to the story of the cross. Consider the difference between a statement: Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal, and a theoretical twenty-minute multimedia presentation of the same fact. The statement has a purpose; a multimedia movie would doubtless be gratuitous.

God Condones Some Violence

Can we object to violence itself on biblical grounds? Actually, no. There is a good deal of violence in the Bible, much of it condoned or sanctioned by God Himself. We know that the Bible is given to us for our instruction, even the violent parts, and that there is a purpose in their presence. When something objectionable (like violence) is presented, we recognize that it should have a purpose; it will not be gratuitous.

We need wisdom and discernment to understand the purpose for giving to or withholding information from our children. I happen to believe that the cross is appropriate fare for preschoolers, but in order to be intellectually honest, I must acknowledge that I do in fact censor portions of the Bible. To understand why we should not omit the cross, we must understand why we select what portions of the Bible to share.

Most Parents Omit Portions of Scripture To Some Degree

Have you ever heard the statement “It’s true, and I have to say what is true”? We readily see the fallacy in this thinking. Actually, not all truths are useful or appropriate to share with our children. I haven’t talked about God’s opinion of homosexuality with my four-year-old son, for example. Nor have I detailed the underlying meaning of the metaphors found in Song of Solomon with my three year old. Is there a difference between these examples, and Christ’s torture on the cross? The answer is found when we consider the purpose of teaching Scripture.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. II Tim 3:16-17

Given the enormous significance of the cross, it is hard to understand why even simply teaching a child that Jesus died on the cross is objectionable.

The Cross Can Be Profitable for Young Children

Moreover, appropriate presentation of the violence can actually help a child to better understand the significance of the event. Jesus’ death was not the same as a beloved grandfather peacefully entering eternity during the night. When we truly understand that Jesus suffered in our place, when the violence is placed in the right context, we are filled with greater sensitivity and comprehension of the magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

You can read other discussions of this issue here and here.

Your comments and critique are always welcome, as they usually help me to think more clearly.

In my next post, we’ll discuss whether we should deliberately give instruction beyond our children’s ability to understand it.

Popularity: 34% [?]

Popularity: 34% [?]

4March2008

Doctrinal Music for Children

Posted by Michelle under: Communication and Meaning; Salvation.

When I asked about hymns to teach salvation truths, I had forgotten about a few places who have the same idea I do.

Sovereign Grace produced a children’s CD designed to teach doctrine in simple words. The doctrine is sound, although the poetry is not excellent, and the music style is contemporary. Personally, I believe children’s music for this purpose should have a simple accompaniment, regardless of one’s views on music styles (they do state that the CD is for children ages 7 and up). I appreciate that they make the lyrics available for evaluation: click here for the words to each song for free. You can also preview the music by clicking on the first link.

Kids4Truth asked Dan Forrest and Eileen Berry to team up to write doctrinally rich music in a traditional style. I hope I’m not merely biased, but I think the poetry and music is excellent. The accompaniment is piano, which I think makes the words easier to understand, especially for very young children. You can download six of the twelve songs . The other six have not been produced yet, although you can purchase a song book with all twelve songs in it).

You can purchase the lyrics as Powerpoint slides (a dollar for each song) or in the songbook (18.95).

The AWANA music that Shelley and Gina mentioned is here, but I could not find words or music samples. I love the concept of Scripture songs, so it might be worth investigating.

I’m still looking for hymns. One of the challenges in presenting salvation through song is the absence of hymns addressing sin. Another challenge is the presence of confusing metaphors (such as “ask Jesus into my heart”) or syntax. The question format in “Alas and Did My Savior Bleed” keeps it from being my favorite for instructional purposes (although the poetry is very fine and I still haven’t decided). I’ve been reading all the cross songs, and I think “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” is the best. The syntax and vocabulary is surprisingly understandable for so old a song. I suspect that’s why it has endured through the centuries. It will still need some teaching, but I think it will work. I think we’ll start with “Holy, Holy, Holy.” My children know the first verse only, so learning the rest of the verses will be fun for them. After that, we’ll work on the “O Sacred Head.” Ask me in a few months how we are doing.

On a personal note, I’ll be traveling to see my mom and dad this week and next. Lee has a conference in Hawaii, and it was too expensive for us all to go. Some of you might not know that my dad has idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, so I want to take the time to visit when I can. I’ve been trying to work ahead, but my posting might be less frequent. We’ll see.

Popularity: 23% [?]

Popularity: 23% [?]

28February2008

Musical Roman’s Road

Posted by Michelle under: Discipleship; Salvation.

Tonight in church we sang “Holy, Holy, Holy.” That’s a song we sing a lot at our house, and all three of my children were singing it (well, Laurel was just making noise, but the other two were actually singing the words).

It was convicting to notice the energy they sang when they actually knew the song, convicting because I realize how inconsistent I am in teaching them hymns. So this week and next I’m going to work on a hymn.

I’m sometimes surprised (and a little disappointed) to see so little interest and understanding of spiritual things, yet they both sing when they know the song. Maybe I can use music deliberately, not just to teach them good songs, but to actually lay a foundation for understanding salvation. So, here’s my question. If you were going to make a hymn “Romans Road,” what five (or thereabouts) songs would you teach? I promise not to complain about difficult vocabulary if you contribute.

Popularity: 22% [?]

Popularity: 22% [?]

19September2007

Still Teaching Repentance

Posted by Michelle under: Discipleship; Salvation.

If I think of repentance as “put off, renew, put on,” the step we’re missing at our house is probably the renew part. I think David knows what he should stop doing, and what he should start doing. Bethel is getting there, although she rarely demonstrates that knowledge when I ask her questions. I’m sure she could benefit from learning more about the middle step, too. The problem is that he doesn’t have any desire to do it. I’m sure part of the lack of desire is that the Holy Spirit doesn’t live inside him, but I’d like to start by teaching him where that desire comes from.

Breaking repentance down in this way makes the Scripture I want to teach a little easier. After reading Psalm 51 and II Corinthians multiple times, and rereading the cross references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (I used Psalm 51:10 as a starting reference), I decided that the clearest and most concrete passage is Psalm 51:10. Romans 12:1-2 is another one that we might consider talking about or memorizing later.

Popularity: 15% [?]

Popularity: 15% [?]

14September2007

Answered Prayer and Spiritual Conversations

Posted by Michelle under: Salvation.

Today I ended up talking about sin and repentance in a little different context than I thought I would. I was rather tickled because I see God’s hand throughout the day, just as I’ve asked.

I was feeling somewhat guilty because I’ve not taken the time to sing with my children like I should. I can play the piano, I love to sing, but they don’t (somebody is always wanting to bang along with me and I have a hard time concentrating). So I thought maybe I’d do a little “hidden rule” that my mom has talked about: basically manipulating the situation so that the child makes the right choice without my intervention. In this case, I was going to let them stay up and sing, or go take a nap. I was pretty certain they’d stay up. But when I sat at the piano with baby before lunch, she let me play, and when she got tired of sitting with me, she got down and played without me. Bethel was singing with me. And then to my surprise, David came and got a hymnbook and asked me for Hymn 325 (he made up the number and was quite proud of himself). And when I played it, he sang with me. A few songs later he said, Let’s sing songs about Jesus dying on the cross. So we sang and talked very briefly about what some of the songs meant.

A bit later David asked where his Great Grandpa lived. When I finally realized he was talking about the grandpa that used to live in the desert, I told him that Great Grandpa died. Then he asked, Is he with God? So we got another opportunity to talk about spiritual truths. I stuttered a bit on this one. Uh… I think so. [but we don't know another's heart, so I don't want to be too sure] If he [long pause here. should I say ...got saved? ...accepted Christ as his Savior? ...repented of his sin? ... asked Jesus to save him?] repented and asked Jesus to save him, then we’ll see him in heaven someday [uh, that is, if you ever get saved. Maybe I shouldn't have sounded to sure at this point.]

I’m thankful for God’s faithfulness. I’m thankful for the glimpse into my children’s souls, that He’s indeed doing a work in there, even though I don’t often see it. And I’m thankful that their salvation will not be because I
had all the right words to say, but because of the power of the gospel to save those who believe.

Popularity: 15% [?]

Popularity: 15% [?]

14September2007

Prerequisites for Repentance

Posted by Michelle under: Communication and Meaning; Salvation.

I’m thinking that perhaps in my rush for results, I’m trying to teach repentance when I need to teach a few other things first.

Yesterday while the girls were napping and David resting, I spent quite a bit of time reading Psalm 51. And then this morning I was reading Romans 2 and stopped to consider verse 4.

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

It seems understood that in order to understand what this goodness is all about, a person must understand who he has offended, and he must understand that there is a penalty for the offense.Then he can understand the goodness of God in his forgiveness.

I am wondering whether there’s a disconnect between the offense and repentance because David doesn’t yet understand God’s right to judge us for our sins. Last week David asked some questions about “bad guys,” a fairly recent interest (the gun-toting guards at our air force base seem to have started the conversation). David wanted to know if there were any bad guys in New Mexico. At the time, I asked him what he thought made someone a bad guy. You can see where I was going with that one, I bet. I let the subject drop, though, soon after.

Now I think bringing up this topic again with David might be a good opportunity to talk about God’s laws, and how God is a righteous judge who must punish sin. I might ask him what he thinks should happen to someone who breaks the New Mexico law, or more simply, a family “law.” I’m curious to see whether he recognizes a sense of justice in these cases.

Before he can understand the need for repentance and God’s gracious provision for it, he needs to understand that he has offended God. I think he gets this, although Bethel doesn’t yet. What he needs to know next is that there is a penalty for sin.

I’m still thinking on this topic, and still praying for wisdom and guidance. I’m also praying that God will teach me about repentance in my own life.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Popularity: 17% [?]

12September2007

Finding Wisdom to Teach Repentance

Posted by Michelle under: Communication and Meaning; Salvation; Wisdom.

In spite of my recognition that my children needed to learn repentance, and my desire to teach it, I haven’t taken the time to study on the matter.

Last night Lee had some work to do, so instead of pulling out a good book, the Lord gave me the grace to get started on studying repentance. I started with what I knew already about it. Repentance is defined as a change of mind that results as a change in action. We confess our sin (say the same thing about it that God says) and forsake it. Psalm 51 is a classic repentance chapter, and so is II Corinthians 7:8-16. I read these passages, looked up repentance in my Nave’s Topical Bible. These are great, convicting passages, and I wondered whether God really wanted me to study repentance for myself.

But here was also where I ran into trouble. I’m reading, wondering how I was going to explain these passages to David, let alone Bethel. Feeling quite a bit overwhelmed with the task, and still unsure of the best route to take, I sheepishly prayed, something I should have done first. I need wisdom to apply the Scripture to my children’s lives, to show them the Scripture and explain it.

I didn’t receive any flashes of light or instant inspiration. I suppose I need to keep reading and rereading. This morning I did take some time considering that at their young age, a Bible story might be the best way to teach them. Perhaps the prodigal son? the children of Israel? John the Baptist and the Pharisees? I guess I’ve got a block here, but I think I’m on the right track. I figure I’ll take some time this afternoon paging through some of their Bible story books for inspiration, too.

I’ll keep you posted.

Popularity: 20% [?]

Popularity: 20% [?]