people and the bad people? Miss Jones said He did." “ You know what Jesus did, don’t you? He loved the bad people and the good people. Don’t you re member that story about how He went to that old mean man’s house?” There was a short silence. Then Mary said slow ly: “ But that was Jesus. That wasn’t God.” Triumphant and reassuring, Henry replied: “ You know that Jesus was God’s Boy, don’t you? Well, don’t you suppose He’d be like His Father?” Most important of all, God has shown us His love by Jesus’ death for us as the means by which we receive the greatest of blessings, forgiveness of our sin. While younger children especially do not under stand God’s method of providing salvation, they can appreciate the teaching erf Mrs. Alexander's hymn: There is a green hill far away, Without a city wall, Where the dear Lord was crucified, Who died to save us all. Even young children can understand that Jesus is God’s gift to them. “ Done!” cried Jack, waving the letters. “ Christ mas night, and I’ve already thanked everyone who gave me a g ift." Mother grinned. “ I don’t think you have remem bered everyone.” “ Did I forget someone?” Jack asked, puzzled. “ Think hard,” suggested Mother. Jack did think hard. He was sure he had said or written, "thank you,” for every gift that he had received. “ Mother wouldn’t fool me about something like this,” he thought. At bedtime Jack was still puzzled. He knelt to say his prayers. Suddenly he remembered. “ I know!” he said. “ I forgot the most important ‘thank you’ of them all!” Jack prayed: “ Thank You, God, for Jesus, the best Gift in the world.” We may wonder if our teaching that God is love has really been learned by our children. Our answer can come unexpectedly. Six-year-old Janet’s Sunday school teacher related this incident to Janet’s mother. One day when the child was in her Sunday school class, the teacher asked: “ How do we know that God loves us?” Janet replied: “ Because my Mommy told me all the kind things He does for me.” By our personal response to God’s love, our own love and our direct teaching, we tell our children that God’s constant love and care surround them daily. Whether they are at home, at play, at school or at church they can enjoy it. Once our children have learned the essential meaning of God’s love they have an awareness of one of the essential relationships of life. Such teaching makes heavy demands upon us as parents. Even so, nothing we do is likely to show a better return for the time spent. THE KING’S BUSINESS
when the motivation is added, we can confidently expect our children to understand that the greatest blessing in the world is to share the love of God. We teach our children that God has shown His love and care for them in providing them with par ents. We point out that as they were not able to look after themselves when they were born, God pro vided parents to feed them and care for them. They had no money, so Daddy worked to provide the money to pay for their food, clothes and the house in which they live with all its furniture. As they came into the world not knowing any thing, there is so much for them to learn, we tell them. They need to know how to feed themselves as well as how to walk. They need to be taken to Sun day school and to church; God has provided parents to do what they could not do for themselves. Learn ing to walk as well as learning to talk requires a teacher and God has lovingly provided teachers in Mummy and Daddy. Further, we shall tell our children that God has also revealed His love by giving us an orderly world. He has so ordered the universe that the seasons come round regularly. Every 24 hours we have night to rest as well as day to work. The sun and the moon will arise at the time expected. The stars will shine in the places where we expect them to be. All these are God’s gifts to us. God has demonstrated His love, we teach, in giving us not only sufficient for our bare needs. He has also supplied us with many things which add to our happiness. God’s world is a beautiful world. By careful teaching we can help our children to ap preciate it. In spring we draw our children’s atten tion to all the different colors of the trees as they wake from their winter sleep. In summer we point out to them the gaily-colored flowers and the bright coloring of the wings of the butterfly. In the fall, we can show them the amazing tints on the leaves. As young children find it easier to understand when a person does something, we show them God's love as seen in the life that Jesus lived when He was here on earth. Peter’s words, “ He went about doing good,” are a splendid summary of the years of Jesus’ ministry. All the miracles Jesus did for people were of a healing nature; never once did He use His power to hurt a man,. Men were able to get back to work and do a useful job though they had been idle for years. Parents and relatives had members of their family restored to them. Joy replaced sorrow. All these blessings flowed from Jesus’ love in action. Jesus came to teach us more about His Father and our Father. He showed Him as One who is very concerned for our good and who loves to have us pray to Him. As we teach our children these facts, they will begin to see how God loves them. Six-year-old Mary and nine-year-old Henry sat on the floor, coloring pictures. Casually Mary began: "Henry, what I wonder is, does God love the good 14
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker