4 Ways to Lead Our Children to Love the Lost
Do your children love the lost? We soon will be celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus and the rich salvation we have in Him. But what about those who will not be celebrating? Will we even think about them? More importantly, do our children think about them, or even realize not everyone knows the story of God’s Son dying for the sins of the world, and being raised from the dead? The coming generation will be the most biblically illiterate America has ever produced. How can we lead our children to have hearts that love their unsaved friends, neighbors, and family members?
With Our Words:
We live in a sick world; a world in desperate need of healing. That healing starts with our tongues. The world is a hospital where every patient is terminally ill with sin. We are the medical staff and the only ones with the cure – a cure often refused by those who either do not know they are sick or a too proud to admit it. But this is never a reason to treat even those who are horrifically wrong with personal attack or disrespect. No matter how sick a patient is, it never justifies a harsh, personal attack on their intelligence from the doctor, or excuses her ranting on social media about people who aren’t smart enough to know what’s healthy for them. Healing hands starts with healing words of truth from a heart of compassion. Our unbelieving loved ones know the difference, and so do our children.
Our Prayers:
Harsh words and healing prayers can’t come from the same heart. Salvation is a miracle. If our hearts are genuinely grieved for the lost-ness of our loved ones, neighbors, and friends, we will cry out to God to have mercy on them. Daddies, moms, children, babies are hurting all over the world; this hurt is almost always due to someone’s sin. They don’t have hope. They fear death everyday, because this life is all they have. We’ll never reach them until we pray. Do your children pray for those who don’t have eternal life? Do you pray?
Our Resources:
Life hands us different seasons with different opportunities. The nursing mother of four will not be able to do what the college student or empty-nester can do. But this is not what God asks. Just simply start doing with you can do. Start a coin jar that goes to missionaries. Ask the Lord to burden your heart for the salvation of one relative and lead your children in praying for them each day. Set your phone alarm for 10:02 as a daily reminder to you and your children to obey Jesus’ command in Luke 10:2 to pray laborers would be sent into the harvest. God is after obedient hearts, not spectacular deeds.
Our Example:
If all the other areas are right, this one will be too. Our actions are the bank statement of our hearts. If the account is full of compassion, even when speaking truth, and an unquenchable desire to see the lost reconciled with God, our example will be our children’s guide map. They will watch, practice, and learn… until they are ready to go and love likewise.
Kenzi Knapp is a follower of Christ, homeschool graduate and student of history. A fourth generation Missourian she enjoys writing about daily life enrolled in Gods great course of faith and His story throughout the ages at her blog, Honey Rock Hills.
