How do you spiritually feed your kids?
I asked that question to the friends we visited in Idaho over spring break. We were able to visit 3 sets of friends, all very different and yet all connected in the fact that Jesus is their King.
One family had 3 boys (10, 11, and 13 years old) and helped my boys live their best life with the digging of a huge hole on their property. Just for fun! From my outside perspective and from what they said I gathered that spiritually feeding their kids is ingrained into their daily life, like veins that carry life through a body rather than a bandaid that they only use only when times are hard. Treating Jesus as their King isn't a one time or every once in a while type of event. It is simply threaded into their lives by the way they love their neighbors, by what they teach their kids, and by how they spend their time. They are intentional about teaching their 3 boys boundaries, how to communicate clearly, and encouraging them to talk to them about everything. They are doing their best to prepare them for the world while they are still under their roof. Their boys witness them working hard, reading good books, and helping others.
Another family is excitedly anticipating the birth of their first son in June. What an answer to prayer that sweet bundle of joy already is! Even before he breathes his first breath he is already prayed over and Scripture is read over him. Psalm 23 is hanging in his room this very moment. His caring parents look forward to spiritually feeding him so that he can spiritually lead his family well in the future. His mama enjoys spiritually nourishing little ones at Bible Study Fellowship and values the dependence on prayer found there. This is one of many places that will help the child be surrounded by followers of Jesus, which is the desire of his daddy.
The last family that we visited had 3 older children - 13, 15, and 17. My friend said she is past the point of spiritually feeding her children. Now she has the important job of empowering them to have their own strong faith. She sees the value of other’s influence on her children’s lives, as she had on so many others as she mentored and led a group of young girls for ten years at church. She lives in a different state than them now, but their powerful connection will never die. When they moved to a different state my friend and her husband were very intentional about letting their children choose their own church. A church they could thrive in and find friends in, without their parents’ influence.
At home, we feed our own kids in little ways and big ways and it changes as the kids get older. They are grazers- getting spiritually fed throughout the day rather than only at specific times. The books we read, the goals we focus on, and the things we choose to notice all point us to Jesus. We read a Bible story and pray every night. We try to have family quiet time in the morning to learn and focus our attention on our Creator. We focus on trying to be kind to one another. We stop and appreciate beautiful flowers and magnificent sunsets. We take them to church and surround them with people who know Jesus and some who don't. And we pray for all. Admitting mistakes, explaining why we spend our money in a way that loves others and our choices show that we care more about Jesus than anything else. We don’t always get it right. And I hope our kids remember the ways we got it right more than how we got it wrong. But we aren’t the only ones in charge of how full their bellies are at the end of our time of spiritually feeding. I’m so thankful Jesus is in charge. It's so important to communicate our need for Jesus, ask for forgiveness, and model what a devoted-to-Jesus life looks like.
My sons bonded with each young person we spent time with on our trip. They became very special in my sons’ eyes and taught them good things like how to cross a river over stones or a log, how to enjoy hikes, how to dig a hole, how to fight with lightsabers, how to enjoy good food, and how to be kind and polite. I can clearly see how impactful even such a short time was on their young lives. It reminds me to pray for an older friend’s influence on their lives. Someone who is a step ahead of them and following after Jesus. (Jesus answered that prayer just 5 days after Spring Break with a surprise visit from their 15 year old cousin!)
Lord,
Bless all the families we visited!
Bring older-kid Christ-following influences into my sons’ lives.
Give me wisdom and perseverance in how to spiritually feed my kids.
Amen.