Jesus replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. Matthew 13.11-17 [NIV]

Scripture is primary as we teach children about God.  Tradition speaks to the legacy of our foreparents in the Christian Faith.  Experience allows children to learn about God.  What about Reason?

Reason
Children are naturally curious.

While memorizing scripture should be respected and expected, we can guide children in interpreting scripture and the impact it has on their lives as children of God.  As Bishop Scott Jones reminds us, reason helps us to see if our interpretations of scripture “make sense” in everyday life.  Take the time to relate scripture to real life occurrences in the lives of our children, to support them in navigating life’s challenges while deepening their connection with God.

Resources:

At Home With God Family Devotions for the School Year by Ann Broyles, Sue Downing, Paul Escamilla, Elizabeth Lind Escamilla, and Marilyn Brown Oden [Upper Room Books, 2002] 

United Methodist Doctrine: The Extreme Center by Scott J. Jones [Abingdon Press]

The Spiritual Life of Children by Robert Coles [Houghton Mifflin, 1990]

Speaking of Faith, hosted by Melissa Tippett, Conversation with Dr. Robert Coles “The Inner Lives of Children”, re-released on NPR January 1, 2009.

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