Theology for an 8 year old...

Kami has been memorizing a verse this week. I Cor. 10:31, "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." We went out for coffee before school together and we were talking about glorifying God with our lives. I asked her what she things it means to glorify God and she said, "To make God happy." For 8 years old, I call that spot on. I told her that Satan gets ticked off when God is made happy through our lives to which she responded, "Dad, is Satan really real? Sometimes with Satan and God I wonder whether they are real." I racked my brain to come of with words to explain the reality of the invisible...hmmm.

We talked a little bit about Satan and God and how they used to be really, really good friends...like best friends. We talked about how Satan started to get jealous of God and wanted to be like Him. That jealousy started to make him so mad that he gathered together an army of angels that wanted to take God down. But there was one problem...God doesn't get taken down. Kami looked at me and said, "What were they thinking? Nobody can beat God!" I explained how they were cast out of Heaven and now they are trying to hurt God's heart by hurting those closest to God...humans. He likes to destroy humans by filling their life with selfishness, hatred, pain and bitterness. She didn't know what all this fully meant, but she was trying to track with me as best she could. All she knew is she wanted to make God happy.

We had to get going because school was starting in like 7 minutes, so we quick packed up and got in the truck to head to school. I started the truck and backed out of the driveway. Out of nowhere, Kami said, "So dad, what were we talking about in the coffee shop again?" I about fell out of my seat. She wanted to keep the conversation going about Satan and God and the invisible worlds of the great kingdom. So we kept talking about how to tick Satan off at school that day by reaching out to the left out, sharing with those who don't share back, and loving her classmates more than she loves herself. She nodded her head, gave me a crooked kiss, threw her backpack over her shoulder and ran toward the glass doors that lead into the halls of humanity that require her heart's engagement. Even at age 8.

Theology for an 8 year old can be some of the most difficult to explain, but it's the most beautiful to consider. I sometimes wonder if our lofty explanations really do anything but bore people to death anyhow.

Comments

Ty said…
Good post. Jesus said the Kingdom was for such as these... children and then we as "pastors" sit around all week trying to AWE people with our sophisticated reasoning and arguments. Funny thing is when presented correctly, its not complicated, it is a simple truth that an 8 year old can grasp! Great job explaining that to your daughter, and thanks for sharing it with us!
Teresa said…
I've experienced "theology for a 5 year old" and that's tough... but good. :)
This morning the pastor at our new church was sharing about a man who, as a new Christian, purchased a children's Bible so he could get the basics before delving into heavier stuff. I can't tell you how many times I have been blessed by children's stories and shows. They somehow break things down in a way that brings a reminder of some truth I've been forgetting.

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