My wife Jean and I did devotions with our boys throughout their childhoods. “What kind of devotions?” was the issue we always had to resolve.
Jean preferred formal times of Scripture reading and devotion. Her degree is in biochemistry, so it fit her personality to whip up a lesson with the creativity and skill of a schoolteacher.
As for me, I’m spontaneous and loose. I chatted with my boys about the Bible when we were engaged in routine activities, like driving back and forth to school.
Fortunately, my boys always responded well to both. Jean and I now tell parents there’s no “right way” to pass your faith to your children.
But most parents would benefit from practical ideas for enriching their family devotions. Author and speaker Tim Shoemaker says the best approach for conveying spiritual truth to children is through creativity and exploration.
It’s no accident that Jesus communicated through storytelling and object lessons, like Roman coins and mustard seeds. When Tim’s own children were young, he found creative ways to teach biblical values. Tim once organized a devotional outing to a used car lot with his sons and his niece. He told them to pick out their favorite car. Their choices always focused on external qualities. Tim encouraged them to also consider what was under the hood. He then explained how that lesson also applies to romantic relationships: elevate your decisions beyond attractive external features. Find someone with a good heart. Twenty years later, Tim’s niece told him that she remembered his object lesson and regularly applied his advice to her dating.
I’ve invited Tim Shoemaker to be my guest on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly to offer more creative ways for helping your children be fully engaged when learning about God’s Word.
Hear my full conversation with Tim Shoemaker on your local radio station, online, on Apple Podcasts, or take us with you on our free phone app.
Tim’s book The Very Best, Hands-On, Kinda Dangerous Family Devotions, Vol. 1 is available for a gift of any amount. Click here for more information or call at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
