Teach creative ways for Children to Know Their Identity in Christ

How well I recall the night at the age of forty when I gazed into my bedroom mirror and said, “Lord, help me; I have no idea who I am.” As downtrodden as I was at the time of my desperate plea to the Lord, I knew I’d better find my way out of this maze. And thus, over the next few months, with the Lord’s help, I traveled back down a muddy road searching for answers to how and when I had come to this place. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the loss of my identity had its beginning stages in my childhood, and just began to mushroom from there. Thankfully, over time, the muddy road I had traveled for years turned into a clear path. This new path embraced me with the truth of my self-worth and the one who purchased my identity – Jesus Christ.

So, from having had first-hand experience, I see the importance of teaching our children from a young age TO KNOW THEIR IDENTITY IN CHRIST. You might be thinking, “that is a heavy duty subject to explain to children.” Not really. Let me draw your attention to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Most Bible commentaries agree that these three were in their early teens or possibly younger when they were placed in a real fiery furnace for not obeying King Nebuchadnezzar’s decree to bow down and worship the image made of gold. Can you imagine at such a young age, they were able to say, “No,” to a pagan king? They risked being burned alive, but yet they did not bow to their circumstance.

Quite obviously, who their God was and who they were in Christ had been instilled in them from a very young age by their parents.

“Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders” Deuteronomy 6:4-8.

Our children today face their own fiery furnace. I believe that it is up to parents, and I will also include grandparents and youth leaders to find creative ways to teach our children their significance in the Lord and how He sees them. Now, I am not suggesting that we tie scriptures around our hands or wear them on our forehead, but together we can help them walk through their fiery furnace by knowing their identity and significance is in Christ.

What freedom I experienced at forty-years-old when it became clear to me that it was on the cross that Jesus Christ gave the only accurate measure of our self-worth and established our identity in Him when He considered every single person worth dying for. That enabled me to not bow to the circumstances around me.

How I wish I had known that earlier in life.

Reflection

Do you recall your age when you begin to learn about your identity in Christ? Tell how you learned about your identity and significance in Christ.
From the scriptures in Deuteronomy 6:4-8, does it appear that we should start teaching children at a young age the importance of knowing their identity in Christ? What particular part of the scripture stands out to you?
Share creative ways we as parents, grandparents, and youth leaders can teach our children about their identity in Christ.

“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are a home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.

(Deuteronomy 6:4-8 NLT)