Parenting requires a little give and take.
Have you heard this expression? A lot of times we parents feel like there is a lot more giving than there is taking. We give food, shelter, clothes, love, and wisdom. One of the things we can give our kids is something we usually feel like others are more suited for. That thing is giving a solid theological foundation for their faith.
“But I'm not a theologian, and what if I teach them something wrong?”
Well, this is a great time to start digging into theology yourself in order to pass along the truths of God. And you can start by teaching the importance and differences of grace and mercy.
If you have been attending church for a while, you have heard these words in almost every sermon and the songs we sing. There's a reason for that! Grace and mercy are foundational to our faith in Jesus Christ. Without God’s grace and mercy, we would be left to an eternity separated from him. So, if you had to define each of these terms, what would you say? This is where the saying “give and take” comes in handy.
Give: Grace Is the Good Gift We Don't Deserve
Grace is when God gives us something good we don’t deserve. For example, God gave us the opportunity to accept Jesus as our savior in order to make our relationship right with him even when we have done nothing to deserve it. That is grace. 2 Timothy 1:9 says: “He has saved us and called us to a holy life, not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.”
So how do you teach this to kids? Pastor Francis Chan told about a day his daughter came home crying because she had failed a test at school that day. He immediately got her in the car and took her to get ice cream. Once they got their ice cream, his daughter, still confused looked at him and asked, “Why are you giving me this when I don’t deserve it, Daddy?” His answer: Because I want you to see what grace is. But don’t expect this every time.”
Take: Mercy Is When God Withholds Punishment We Deserve
If grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve, then what is mercy?
Well, think back to give and take. If grace is giving, mercy has to do with taking. Mercy is when God takes a punishment from us when we deserve to receive it. Jesus shows us mercy by taking on the punishment we deserve by dying on the cross that we may be declared clean before God. 1 Peter 1:3 says: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
So, how do you teach this to kids? Maybe next time you need to punish them for something minor, instead of giving them the punishment of cleaning all the dirty dishes, when they get ready to start, tell them you will do it for them. But make sure you explain how this act of mercy is a very small example of the ultimate act of mercy Jesus showed by dying for our sins.
Start teaching theology to your kids and watch for the growth in God that happens because of your faithfulness. When people say, “Parenting requires a little give and take,” you will know they are right. It takes both grace and mercy.
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