He Still Speaks to Kidsنموونە

Developing a God-worldview in Kids—Tom Lane

A worldview is a lens created by beliefs, attitudes, values, stories, and expectations that shape and color our perspective of the world around us. It informs our every thought and action. A worldview becomes the perspective that influences and guides the application of our beliefs and behavior in the circumstances of our lives.

As a believer, you are responsible to develop a “God-worldview” in your children. The Bible is very clear that individuals and families committed to God must protect this worldview. God told the Israelites not to intermarry with the pagan people of the Promised Land because He did not want His people to compromise or water down their perspective of His Word or His work among them. They could not embrace the beliefs, customs, and practices of the pagan culture around them. God directed the Israelites to stand firm and uncompromised in their values and practices.

How do we invest a God-worldview in our children? There are four pillars needed to support the God-worldview we seek to impart through our parenting efforts.

The first pillar is a partnership with God. No parents are perfect, which is why parenting was always intended to be a partnership with God. God is present, active, and at work in all the circumstances of our lives. He works in us as we train our children to love and serve God.

The second pillar is an understanding of the principle of transference. You can only transfer to someone else what you have and practice yourself. We must contend through personal spiritual disciplines and faith to build an intimate and vibrant relationship with God for ourselves. That effort is what gives us the experience and authority to mold, shape, and impart guidance to our children in their relationships with God.

The third pillar is the development of spiritual sight. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that to please God, we must believe He exists and believe “that he rewards those who seek him.” We work to develop a spiritual sight that enables us to look for God and see His work in the circumstances of our life. In difficult times, we must ask ourselves, Is what I am going through God’s work of teaching, redirecting, telling me to pause, or discipline?

The fourth pillar is neutrality. When seeking to know God’s will or direction, we must first come to a neutral place by being honest with ourselves and God about our desires. When we do this, one of two things will happen. We will receive our desires with celebration and rejoicing because they align with God’s desire, or God will work in us to change our perspective toward His desire and purpose for us. Either way, God’s desire becomes our desire, and He gives us the desire of our hearts.