Empower Kids to Convey God’s Story in and Around The World!
Kids today are dealing with tough issues: peer pressure, divorce, internet dangers, death, illness, obesity, drugs, physical and mental abuse, poverty, anger, bullying, ADD, witchcraft, suicide, cutting and so much more. At the same time our world is challenged with equally overwhelming and heart stopping injustice…
I would love to see an end to human trafficking, starving children and many other horrible atrocities that plague the children of this world, but unfortunately much of what we are seeing is not going away anytime soon. I truly wish we didn’t have to teach our kids about the thousands and thousands of people who do not know Christ, child pornography, gangs, internet predators or the dangers in other countries. However, if we are going to ask our kids to have a missional heart, respond to injustice and take a stand for Christ we must first help them grasp the truth of what is our world today. It is so heart wrenching to think of how many people are lost and have not yet met Christ but it is so awesome to think of the uncountable number of people who can possibly be reached by our very own children. [Ephesians 5:11]
Around the world, kids are making headlines every day. Some of these headlines are for outlandish activities, but many are for amazing acts of compassion and concern. All around our nation, kids are making a difference by doing noteworthy things to save the planet, raising millions of dollars for the needy and inspiring others to greatness. I believe we as parents must get a larger look at the world as it pertains to our kids and constantly take stock of the perceptions we inadvertently carry about this emerging generation. Kids are perceptive, intelligent, capable and inventive leaders. It is possible for us to begin to see our very own kids as powerful, passionate and faithful individuals with a calling from God to do amazing things. “Do not look let anyone down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” [1Timothy 4:12.]
We as parents have a unique opportunity as well as an obligation to equip, encourage and empower our kids to convey God’s story in and around the world, not only as they journey through childhood and adolescence but the rest of their adult lives.
Our goals are really the same aren’t they? We all want to see our kids connect with God on a personal level and to live a life honoring to Him. We all want to see our kids avoid the traps of Satan, find their true purpose and calling, live a fulfilling life, serve others, disciple others, have unshakable faith and live in victory. We all want to see kids have a better future! I believe that once kids have been exposed to the truth of Christ and have experienced Him firsthand, there can be no stopping them.
I truly believe in order for kids to truly grasp the love of Christ and live out their faith, they must participate in serving others. Kids need to get their feet wet when it comes to outreach, serving, and especially missions. We can intentionally create opportunities of all kinds for our kids to participate in giving selflessly to others. [Romans 12:11].
I think a great way to introduce kids to missions as well as support the efforts of our missionaries is to ask them to pray for them [Colossians 4:2]. We can educate our kids early on about the lives of missionaries, find missionary kid pen pals, give kids positive, Godly role models who see eye to eye with them, and come alongside our kids in outreach opportunities.
There are literally thousands of people all over the world in desperate need—sometimes those needs are small and sometimes they require great big miracles. It shouldn’t be too hard to give our kids the opportunity to express the love of Christ through serving [Proverbs 22:6].
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