As we are going through challenging times, we can be more intentional with our children. Especially in homes where children are have been…well…home.

The Bible teaches us to “train up a child in the way he should go,” (Proverbs 22:6). As parents, teachers, grandparents, and caregivers this translates into teaching children to find their identity in Christ.

Jesus is the perfect example for us to follow in finding our identity. Jesus, at once completely God and completely man, chose to set aside his own feelings and be obedient to God.

Imagine what it must have been like for Jesus, the King of Glory, to be restricted by human flesh. How could he possibly have “felt” what we would describe as normal?

How could Jesus possibly have felt like he fit in with everyone else? How could he possibly have felt comfortable with the skin he was in?

Yet he chose to be obedient to God. (Read Romans 5:19.) He chose to set aside selfish ambition. (Read Matthew 4:5-7.) He chose to flee sexual immorality. (Read John 8:11.) He chose to suffer in his obedience to God and sacrifice his own desires. (Read Matthew 4:1-11.) He chose to have self-control and considered earthly pleasures as nothing compared to the eternal glories God has in store. (Read Matthew 26:53-54.)

This is the Jesus of the Bible. This is the One we want to identify with. This is the One we want to define our identity from…not the current culture, the latest “moral” trends, the popular “dare to be who you really are” mentality.

This is the Christ we want to train up our children to follow and find their identity in. May we all be even more intentional to point our children toward Christ and view these challenging days as opportunities to share…for such a time as this.

Nancy I. Sanders is a bestselling and award-winning children’s author of more than 100 books. CLICK HERE to visit her website.

Image by Myriam Zilles from Pixabay