There is nothing stronger and more relentless than God’s grace towards sinners, a mother’s love for her child, and the determination of some Hong Kong parents to secure a good education for their children. I am constantly astounded by their unwavering dedication, the lengths they are willing to go and the cost they are prepared to bear in order to prepare their children to enter a good school.
Yet as Christians, we are given a far better perspective. We know that the greatest good and the highest joy for our children is not academic success, but knowing God’s salvation. A good education and impressive skills, without Christ, only produce very capable, successful sinners.
Timothy’s mother and grandmother understood this truth (2 Timothy 1:5). From an early age, they made sure Timothy knew God’s Word. Perhaps they brought him to church each week, told him Bible stories before bedtime, or helped him memorise Scripture. Whatever they did, it made Timothy wise for salvation and led him to put his faith in Jesus. “And how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15)
This is why reading the Bible with our children is of such great value and deserves our dedication, persistence, and effort. But the question many of us ask is: Where do we begin?
reading the Bible with our children is of such great value
As parents of three children, Cindy and I know well the messiness and constant distractions of family life. How easily they can paralyse us into doing nothing at all. But rather than waiting for a perfectly planned, calm, and well-behaved family devotion time, Justin Earley helpfully reminds us in Habits of the Household that messiness is the point. He writes, “Perhaps what our kids need most is to see us fumble through something.” That very fumbling is not a failure. Our persistence in opening the Bible amid the chaos of family life creates “space to share a mess and proclaim that God loves messy things like us.”
So we need to become comfortable with the mess, and then we need to act. There is no perfect method. Faithful parenting is often about consistently trying and persevering.
Here are a few simple ideas:
- Read a short Bible story or a family devotion book when you are already gathered, during mealtimes or at bedtime. The Good Book Company offers many helpful resources.
- Read and memorise a Bible verse or catechism together.
- Listen to Scripture set to music during car rides or free play at home (our kids love listening to Colin Buchanan).
- Follow the Kidzone curriculum and ask your children questions about what they are learning.
Something is always better than nothing. Fumbling is always better than inaction. For it is God who loves messy people and his Word that makes us wise for salvation.
