I learned a life lesson tonight. As we were putting the girls to bed, I opened the Bible and read Psalm 39 to the them. They were a pretty cute sight, all three lined up on Grace's bed, wrapped up in blankets. As I read from Psalm 39, it became apparent that the content was a little bit beyond their full comprehension. Nonetheless, I did my best to explain. You see, Psalm 39 talks about the brevity of life. David asks God to teach him to know his end and the measure of his days. He confesses that human life, like a breath or a shadow, is fleeting. That's a tought concept to explain to three girls who are aged two to five.
Genesis, our appropriately-named eldest, asked, "Why is life short?" I replied that even 100-years-old was very short compared to the eternity of God. I went on to explain that we don't know how much longer any of us will live. That was when I made my horrible mistake. I told her that we can't even be sure that we'll live another day--that we could die tonight. Theologically correct? Sure! An appropriate thing to tell a five-year-old? Maybe not.
After we were finished, Genesis and Galilee went into their room to climb into bed. I thought I had done alright, but then I heard Genesis say, "Mommy, Daddy said I was probably going to die tonight!" This horrified assertion was immediately followed by sobbing.
Let me tell you, clarifying the important difference between the words "might" and "probably" is not that effective with a five-year-old, even one as mature as our Gen.
Her mother calmed her down and tried to explain what I had meant. I walked in and reinforced that my point was just that no one knows when he/she will die, so we need to live every day serving God to the best of our ability. I don't know how much Genesis was able to process, but it was certainly more than her younger sisters. They were unalarmed by the prospect of death, while she was horrified by it, which shows that she has some, albeit a limited, concept of the finality of death.
As I said, I learned a few lessons tonight. First of all, I learned that talking about death to little kids at 8:00 will probably lead to tears!
Secondly, I learned, or perhaps was reminded, that teaching kids is one of the most difficult things in the world. In my limited teaching experience I have had the privilege of teaching all age groups, from toddlers to senior citizens. Without a doubt young children are the most difficult to teach. Explaining complex theological concepts to absent-minded adults pales in comparison to communicating fundamental principles to hungry and developing, yet immature minds.
Thirdly, I learned the importance of exposing my children to the difficult truths of the Bible at a young age. It's important for them. They need to hear the hard things. They need to learn about death and hell and sin. They need to learn to obey God and why Jesus had to die on the cross. It's also important for me to teach them. I've always learned best by teaching, as counter-intuitive as that might be for some. Teaching young children forces me to condense the complex truths of God into digestible, bite-sized pieces. One common and blessed side-effect of this is that I am reminded of my own inadequacy. Only God can really teach anyone, young or old, His truths.
As painful as this interchange was, I'm glad it happened. Genesis doesn't forget anything. I have a feeling, no, I have Scriptural hope, that God is using His Words and her tears to shape her soul.
Genesis, our appropriately-named eldest, asked, "Why is life short?" I replied that even 100-years-old was very short compared to the eternity of God. I went on to explain that we don't know how much longer any of us will live. That was when I made my horrible mistake. I told her that we can't even be sure that we'll live another day--that we could die tonight. Theologically correct? Sure! An appropriate thing to tell a five-year-old? Maybe not.
After we were finished, Genesis and Galilee went into their room to climb into bed. I thought I had done alright, but then I heard Genesis say, "Mommy, Daddy said I was probably going to die tonight!" This horrified assertion was immediately followed by sobbing.
Let me tell you, clarifying the important difference between the words "might" and "probably" is not that effective with a five-year-old, even one as mature as our Gen.
Her mother calmed her down and tried to explain what I had meant. I walked in and reinforced that my point was just that no one knows when he/she will die, so we need to live every day serving God to the best of our ability. I don't know how much Genesis was able to process, but it was certainly more than her younger sisters. They were unalarmed by the prospect of death, while she was horrified by it, which shows that she has some, albeit a limited, concept of the finality of death.
As I said, I learned a few lessons tonight. First of all, I learned that talking about death to little kids at 8:00 will probably lead to tears!
Secondly, I learned, or perhaps was reminded, that teaching kids is one of the most difficult things in the world. In my limited teaching experience I have had the privilege of teaching all age groups, from toddlers to senior citizens. Without a doubt young children are the most difficult to teach. Explaining complex theological concepts to absent-minded adults pales in comparison to communicating fundamental principles to hungry and developing, yet immature minds.
Thirdly, I learned the importance of exposing my children to the difficult truths of the Bible at a young age. It's important for them. They need to hear the hard things. They need to learn about death and hell and sin. They need to learn to obey God and why Jesus had to die on the cross. It's also important for me to teach them. I've always learned best by teaching, as counter-intuitive as that might be for some. Teaching young children forces me to condense the complex truths of God into digestible, bite-sized pieces. One common and blessed side-effect of this is that I am reminded of my own inadequacy. Only God can really teach anyone, young or old, His truths.
As painful as this interchange was, I'm glad it happened. Genesis doesn't forget anything. I have a feeling, no, I have Scriptural hope, that God is using His Words and her tears to shape her soul.
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