Week 5: Teaching Virtues to Our Kids
One thing that weighs heavy on my heart as a parent is helping my children understand why these biblical virtues are important. They will hear so many conflicting “truths” from the world and we have to help them know how to see the difference in the short years we have them under our wing. So how do we do that? How do we teach our children to love God and to love what he’s asked us to do?
I don’t have all the answers, let me be clear! My childhood was one where God didn’t show up until my teens years, although we went to church the majority of it. If you know my story, you know that even with a very religiously influenced childhood, I decided I was good enough on my own without God. For a time. Luckily, I found my way back and want to make sure my kids have the tools so they don’t have to spend years wandering in the dark.
I remember specific things my father did growing up that I didn’t really think about then but admire now. He would read his scriptures at the kitchen table every morning, without missing a day. He would share a verse with us on our way out the door. We prayed over every meal. We went to church every Sunday and youth groups every week. He spoke often about God. He talked about his own conversion and was open about the times we didn’t go to church as kids.
Most of all, he embodied being virtuous and was a real-life example of how that looked in this world. So that’s my advice to those of you who want to teach your children, or your nieces or anyone else about what it means to be virtuous. Be an example of kindness, hard work, patience, cleanliness or charity. This isn’t a quick fix or an easy task, but it will have a profound effect on those around you. Our children are paying so much attention to us, mimicking everything we do. So instead of giving them negative behaviors to mimic, let’s give them biblical behaviors to mimic.
Be kind.
Be gracious.
Be honest.
Be charitable.
Be content.
Be diligent.
Scriptures to Study: 1 Corinthians 3:16–17, 1 Tim. 5:22
Journal Questions:
- What is one virtue you can focus on showing your children this month?
- Who can you think of from your childhood that exemplified virtuous behavior?
- How can you add the study of virtue to your family study?