Words: 361
Time to read: 2 minutes
The big questions are important and perhaps never more so than to young hearts and minds. Impressionable and open to tender and loving care, our children are a gift from God and we should not be afraid to engage in the big questions. Sometimes, the questions seem to be unimportant or just annoying childish drivel. If the question was important enough to ask then it should be dignified with an answer.
But that answer shouldn’t always be…
“Ask me when you’re older.”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“You don’t need to worry about that right now.”
Perhaps these are all true replies.
But more likely than not, it’s completely ignorant.
As parents, we have a God-given responsibility to protect, even shelter, our kids. That means that sometimes they will hear something that is quite evidently contrary to your biblical values. Inevitably your kids will be faced with the issues, regardless of your attempts to maintain innocence. Too often we are swift to correct in a negative sense when the tough questions are asked.
Someone will answer your children’s manifold questions. With today’s technological tendencies, it will be easier than ever for them to find the answer. Or at least an answer. Are you really content with crowd-sourced Wikipedia or Quora being the life guide for your most precious treasures? Certainly, there are age-appropriate ways to address issues; however, the real work does not commence at 8 years old when they come home asking about life’s origin, meaning, or purpose. It starts from the very earliest ages. It begins with an honest conversation about even complicated issues. It begins with winning and maintaining their heart and confidence even at a young age. It begins with always pointing to God’s Word and prayer as the source of one’s reasoning, hope, and strength. It begins with gracious answers seasoned with salt in response to today’s thorny social (sin) issues.
We do an egregious disservice to our children when we don’t address life’s toughest questions. Someone will answer their biggest questions. Regardless of the topic or how difficult the ensuing conversation is, why should it be someone else and not you—their God-given authority, guide, and protector?