Knowing the Reason Why

Your kids see you prep work outfits, work out, study hard, and eat right. They see you mow the lawn, clean the house, do laundry, pay bills. They see you read your Bible, go to church, and pray.

Your children see your discipline in carrying out these activities. Do they know why you have developed this discipline? If a child asks their Christian parent, “Why should I do the spiritual disciplines?”, hopefully there’s a reason beyond “because I said so,” or “it’s good for you,” or “it’s just what we do.” Hopefully we can tell them we do this because we love God . . . and we love God because he first loved us.

We love because God loved us first.

1 John 4:19 (CEV)

The Christian life—rooted in our love for God—is a response to God’s love for us. It’s easy to see and copy the routine of Christian activities, but to stay properly motivated our kids need to know the reason behind the things we do. Certainly, this response of love to God is sometimes challenged. There are times we do exercises such as go to church when we don’t feel like it. Love enables us to do the hard things even when the feelings aren’t there.

But behaviors that aren’t motivated by love for God proves to be hypocritical, or forced, or false. God called it out when his people Israel were found guilty—they said all the right words, but their hearts were far from him (See Isaiah 29:13).

Let your children know your why. Model the discipline, but also make sure they understand that it’s all because of the Lord’s boundless love for you and them.

Pray

Oh Lord, forgive me for the times my heart strays from you. Help me to love you more, and please help my children to see it. May they be passionate followers of you. Amen.

Time to Talk

Conversation starter for kids: Provides you with questions and prompts to facilitate a time of applicable discussion with children to lead them towards knowing God and His Word more deeply.

Question(s): What habits or tasks do you see me do a lot? Do you know why I do them?

Keep It Going

Related passages: These additional verses will help parents expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Swipe to read the passages today.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9

1 John 4:8-10