A writer learns from a parent how sharing with children about God can be a challenging yet fruitful endeavour.
-Isaiah Cheong
A writer learns from a parent how sharing with children about God can be a challenging yet fruitful endeavour.
-Isaiah Cheong
When I was growing up, the words I dreaded hearing were not, “Go do your homework” or “You better behave or else.”
Instead, they were,
For any typical, hyperactive child who only wanted to watch TV, being told to spend 30 minutes sitting still and quietly reading devotionals without falling asleep was tough.
Thankfully, I had always looked forward to attending Sunday school, where I could meet my friends and eat all the snacks I wanted. My Sunday school teachers made it exciting for us to memorise Bible verses by rewarding us with points, which we could exchange for toys or food. They also made learning about God fun, and the lessons I learned then have stuck with me till today.
But fun was not a word I or my parents had associated with quiet time at home. So when I had the opportunity to chat with Sophia, I was surprised by her approach to family devotion and worship.
The author of the children’s picture book series Nature Play Time, Sophia Huang is no stranger to the challenge of entertaining and educating kids. She’s a mother of three and has her fair share of experience raising children in a Christian household.
The author of the children’s picture book series Nature Play Time, Sophia Huang is no stranger to the challenge of entertaining and educating kids. She’s a mother of three and has her fair share of experience raising children in a Christian household.
Making Learning About God Fun
Making Learning About God Fun
Even though I had just met Sophia, her warmth and relaxed demeanour made talking to her very easy, and she knew how to break the ice and not take things too seriously.
No doubt Sophia’s bubbly disposition contributes significantly to making their devotion time at home fun and enjoyable for her children. She attributes this approach to her upbringing:
“I learnt from a young age that worship could be fun. My parents used to modify song lyrics that would make me giggle. Worship was never too serious and rigid, and we could be silly and fun before God.”
As she points out, if King David could dance with all his might before the Lord (2 Samuel 6:14–22), why can’t we? For someone who had always experienced the home as a place of discipline and order, this gave me a fresh perspective for how the gospel, a serious message, could still be presented in fun and engaging ways.
While I was a bit sceptical about how practical it would be to keep up this effort, Sophia was quick to dispel doubts by sharing some methods that have been successful for her so far.
Family Devotion Time as a Non-Negotiable
Family Devotion Time as a Non-Negotiable
Sophia believes that no matter how busy her family is, the one non-negotiable activity for them every day is family devotion time. From singing songs to short Bible readings, she ensures that the family gathers every night to spend time in worship and hear more about Jesus and the gospel.
While Sophia understands that it can be difficult to maintain the habit, she believes that any amount of time spent on this is valuable, and the fruits of these efforts have been evident. Her youngest is the family’s worship leader and is constantly bugging Sophia for more worship time. Sophia also recently found her oldest child leading her brother in prayer every night and encouraging him to do likewise.
Sophia insists that she cannot claim credit for her children’s transformation. “The glory is God’s alone. ‘Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit’ (John 3:6-8), so only God can truly change and transform my children,” she said.
In all her efforts to keep their devotion times fun and engaging, Sophia’s desire is for her children to take ownership of their own journey with God, beyond simply relating with Him as “their parents’ God”.
“Jesus should be the very first name whispered to a child. Children are never too young to receive God’s word, and it is my responsibility as a parent to be my children’s first means of exposure to Him.”
Even though it was only in secondary school when my relationship with God really became personal, I do believe that the knowledge I gained in my childhood, through our family devotion and Sunday school, set the foundation for my heart’s desire to know God more.
Even though it was only in secondary school when my relationship with God really became personal, I do believe that the knowledge I gained in my childhood, through our family devotion and Sunday school, set the foundation for my heart’s desire to know God more.
Modelling a Relationship with God
Modelling a Relationship with God
Sophia believes that children don’t just do what we say, they do what we do.
“Besides teaching the word of God, what’s equally important is living it out — [being] the face and hands of Jesus to our children,” she adds. “This means showing them grace even as we discipline them, and reflecting Christ’s sacrificial love and character. And that is something we cannot do in our own strength.”
She believes that her personal walk with God translates to her ability to talk about God with her children. “There’s no way we can live an authentic life for Christ unless we as parents sit at His feet, spend time in the word and prayer, and learn what it means to be a child of God who is dependent on Him. Unless we ourselves receive love, mercy, forgiveness, salvation and grace from the Father, we cannot be channels and messengers of the gospel.”
Observing my parents’ expressions of love for God definitely had an impact on my faith. From listening to my mum lead worship during cell groups to seeing my father kneel beside his bed every morning to pray, I saw how their faith was genuine and personal, more than just routine. Their simple acts of reverence for God left an impression on me and encouraged me to imitate their example.
Observing my parents’ expressions of love for God definitely had an impact on my faith. From listening to my mum lead worship during cell groups to seeing my father kneel beside his bed every morning to pray, I saw how their faith was genuine and personal, more than just routine. Their simple acts of reverence for God left an impression on me and encouraged me to imitate their example.
Sophia understands the doubts people experience when trying to share about Jesus to children: the struggle to catch and retain their attention, personal feelings of inadequacy, and even the struggle for consistency. Even as she also experiences these struggles, she finds encouragement from reflecting on what it means to be God’s child herself:
Through Sophia’s sharing, I’ve been moved to consider my own efforts to share the gospel. Even though I don’t have any children of my own yet, I’m reminded of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20), which I had always assumed pertained to people who had never heard of the gospel, but only just realised how that also clearly includes children.
I’ve gotten a better glimpse that I am responsible as a follower of Christ to steward the children in my circles—to set a good example for them to follow and build a community of believers for them to grow up in.
On their own, parents can only do so much for their children, but with a community of God-fearing and God-loving believers, we can help raise the next generation of God’s faithful worshippers.
Isaiah Cheong loves nothing more than a good nap, as he takes inspiration from Jesus sleeping peacefully during a storm. He loves broadening his interest pool, which currently consists of photography, sports and a good Korean drama.
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