I do not remember how old I was but I still believed in Santa Claus. My parents were next door planning to help hide their sons' Christmas gift (car) in our garage. While they were gone my older brother called me in Mom and Dad's room and told me he wanted to show me something. He pulled out a suitcase from under the bed and opened it up. Everything I had asked Santa Claus for was in it. How could that be?
My brother told me that Mom and Dad were Santa Claus but I did not believe him. He told me to watch in the morning and everything that was in that suitcase would be in the living room from Santa. I had never been able to sleep on Christmas eve but how could I sleep that night? The next morning was a different Christmas. I was still excited but the magic was gone. I loved when my kids believed in Santa Claus. Parents work hard to make sure their kids believe in Santa Claus. If only we would work that hard on our kids believing in Jesus Christ.
The media, teachers and friends will teach our kids if we do not. That may not always be good. We need to start teaching children about Jesus early in life! They need to know that truth and wisdom comes from the Bible. When they are young we can start teaching them about trusting God. Proverbs 3: 5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." I told you this is the verse my daughter had on my mirror the day I was diagnosed with cancer. When things got tough she knew where to go.
My family likes to talk about Dad a lot around my young niece and nephew to make sure they remember him. They think they remember things because they have heard stories over and over. It is the same thing. We can talk about God constantly and they will think they know Him. Deuteronomy 6: 7, "Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
Because I grew up in church and still was not "sure" I was going to Heaven until later in life I decided to ask my girls often how to get to Heaven. And they could tell you. It is important that they know everyone is a sinner. That means they are and so are Mom and Dad. Romans 3: 23, "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." And because we are all sinners we need to teach them about forgiveness. We have to forgive because Jesus forgives us. Ephesians 4: 32, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
If children are used to going to church growing up they will want to raise their children in the church. Proverbs 22: 6, "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." We all need Jesus. It is fun for the little ones to believe in Santa Claus. But during this Christmas season make sure you teach them the real meaning of Christmas.
コメント