Have you ever thought about how confusing it must be for children when we talk about where God is? Although we rarely sit them down to talk about God's location, they pick up ideas from things we say. We tell them that we are going to “God's House” while also stating that God lives in Heaven and assuring them that he is in our hearts. There is no telling how their young minds try to make sense of all this seemingly contradictory information. Somehow my youngest has picked up the habit of looking up when she talks to Jesus (even though we “look down” when praying). We didn't purposefully teach her to do that, nor have we had discussions about Jesus being up in the sky, but she has nonetheless learned from some source that Jesus is “up.”
Bruce Powers
It may be worth talking to your child about what you mean by “God's House.” Remember that usually when we refer to a house as belonging to someone, that means that the person lives there and is found there. In the case of the church, it's not quite the same as your neighbors or Grandma's house. Make sure your children know that God does not actually live in the church, but rather it is special because people gather there to learn about and worship God. Emphasize that God is everywhere at once, so he can be at every single church at the same time, while also being in every Christian's heart and watching over each of his children all over the world. People can only be in one place at a time, but God is everywhere! This is hard for the adult mind to comprehend, but the point is important enough to start teaching early.
Now about the idea of God living within us. I still remember a 3-year-old girl assuring me many years ago, with great conviction, that “Jesus lives in your heart.” Obviously she was taught that this statement was true, and it is wonderful to experience that childlike faith. However, I'm sure many children have been puzzled by the idea of a full-grown man squished into someone's chest. While I would not discourage referring to church as the house of God or the idea that Jesus lives within us, perhaps we could find ways to teach children about the presence of God/Jesus/Spirit (there's that Trinity again!) without using images that are limiting. We don't want to give the impression that Jesus is somehow confined within a heart or that God is confined by the walls of a building. Similarly, we don't want children to think that God stays “up there” in heaven and is somehow separated or distant from us. Perhaps a broader emphasis on the presence of our Lord at all times and in all places would serve us better.
Next time we will discuss ways to teach our children about prayer and how to talk to God.
Bruce Powers, whose column appears monthly, is pastor of Westhaven Baptist Church in Portsmouth. Contact him at FaithShapers@gmail.com . Other parenting resources are available from Diane Smith (diane.smith@vbmb.org) of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board's emerging leaders team.