Raising World Changers In A Changing World By Kristen WelchSmakprov

Day Six

Four Life-Changing Conversations

Scripture: Matthew 6:21

When we embrace eternal truths for ourselves, we can lead our kids into God’s definition of satisfaction. Consider having the following four conversations with your kids. 

1. We are eternal beings. Despite our striving and obtaining, we all leave this world with the same thing—nothing. We are created for eternity. The things of this world that are fun and feel good are temporary. They will not last. Kids don’t always have the perspective of hindsight, so everything here and now feels like forever. They need us to gently remind them that the things of this world will never satisfy the hunger with which we are born. 

2. We can’t hold on and let go at the same time. Ask your kids to hold on to both your hands while also gripping the handlebars of their bikes. It’s impossible. We have to let go of one or the other. Talk about the story of the rich young ruler with them. He was a good guy; he had done good things. But in the end he held on to the things that didn’t matter (see Matthew 19:22). We have to teach our kids we can’t hold on to Jesus until we let go of this world. 

3. We were created to do something that matters. If our life goal is happiness we are missing the point of life. We aren’t here so we can have it all or do it all. If that’s our aim we will live dissatisfied lives. We are here to glorify God with our lives. God wants to know that we love Him more than anything else. When we live out our purposes we find deep satisfaction, and we discover that our cravings for something real and sweet are satisfied as well. Ask your child what they love doing and look for ways to encourage them to do it for Jesus. 

4. Our heart will lead us to our treasure. Where we give our time, money, passion, and energy is where we are investing our hearts and lives. If we made a list of the things we’re investing in or put them in a pie chart, what would it reveal? 

What does your child most love doing? How could he or she do that activity for God’s glory?