Teaching Babies Biblical Principles
When is a child old enough to understand biblical concepts? Can you teach a two-year-old about Jesus? Here is a small excerpt from a parents’ guide I am writing for those who are raising the next generation:
What does God word tell us? The prophet, Jeremiah, understood that he was appointed by God before his birth, Jeremiah 1:4. Also, the prophet, Samuel, “grew up in the presence of the Lord,” 1 Samuel 2:21. The man after God’s own heart, King David, acknowledge God from birth and declared his trust in God even as a newborn, Psalm 22:9. And Timothy knew the Scriptures from the time he was an infant, 2 Timothy 3:15.
When we minister to our preschool age children, we are preparing the soil and establishing a foundation. It is the foundation that will support their spiritual life. If the foundation is weak, the world will attack and try to dismantle or destroy the foundation. If their foundation in Jesus is strong, they will stand strong in faith and will be prepared in life to face the fiery darts of the devil. It is important to distinguish that we are only helping to lay the foundation we are not building the whole structure. We are preparing the soil from the womb to three years of age and planting seeds from three to seven years of age that hopefully grow deep enough to support the growth of a lifetime.
The way to prepare the soil is to help create categories in their minds using biblical words. “Let’s take a Sabbath rest” instead of using the word nap. When your baby is looking into the mirror and exhibiting excitement at his reflection say excitedly, “Jesus loves you!” You are connecting their happy emotions with the name of Jesus. It’s never too early!!!