#11 TEACHING OUR CHILDREN about Being Kind

Children may all be born selfish—thinking mainly of themselves—and need to be taught to be kind and considerate of others. A few small children show kindness at a young age. This is probably the product of observations of their parents—see number 1 below.

Suggestions as to how to teach children to be kind.

  1. The major influence on children is what he or she sees or feels from their parents. Therefore, the first and most important way to teach kindness to the child is for the parents to exhibit kindness both to the child and others. If the parent is not kind to those around him or her, it will be almost impossible to teach kindness and consideration to the child.
  2. Jesus told an amazing story about kindness that will resonate with your child—the story of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:30-35:

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.”

For very little children, the parent may need to substitute ‘a man’ for the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan since these words may not be meaningful as yet to the child. As the child learns more, the names of the men who passed by can be utilized. Further, medicine can be substituted for ‘oil and wine.’

Several meaningful lessons can be drawn from this story:

  1. Note that the Samaritan had feelings of compassion for the poor, beat-up man. The child can be encouraged to feel that way while playing when he or she sees someone without a toy or hurt by something, maybe a fall.
  2. The Samaritan took up his time to help the poor man. What was the Samaritan going to do that day? Whatever it was, it had to be postponed to be kind and helpful to someone he did not even know. The child can be taught that giving up our play time to help others is admirable and desirable. Encouragement is surely called for each time the child thinks of and helps someone.
  3. The Samaritan also gave of his money to help the beaten man. What was the Samaritan going to spend his money for on that day? Whatever it was, he willingly gave it up to help someone who needed help. The child can be taught that to give up toys to others is showing kindness and consideration. Even giving up a cookie is a fine deed.

As the child grows older, he or she can be taught that the major lesson on kindness taught clearly in the Bible is the life and death of Jesus. This sacrifice was for me to have a way to go to heaven and have eternal life. This can be introduced to the child by use of a well-publicized passage, John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

This verse shows that the kindness of Jesus’ sacrificial life began with God, the Father, being willing to let Jesus leave heaven and come to this earth as a human being. (As the child grows, he or she may see public signs—John 3:16—at public meetings like a football game. If taught at a young age, just seeing the sign will remind the child of the kindness of both God and Jesus.)

A helpful verse to emphasize that Jesus exhibited kindness by coming to this earth and giving up living in heaven is Philippians 2:6-7:

“Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

These verses can be used to show that Jesus was willing to be kind to us humans by giving up living in heaven. Use of Jesus as an example will teach the child that to be kind, we have to give up some things that we love.

These lessons can be easily taught in a family Bible reading hour.

Passages that can be cited and read to the child during the daily Bible reading time: Luke 10:30-35; John 3:16-17; Philippians 2:6-8; John 15:12-17; Mark 10:42-45;  

(Each family is encouraged to have a daily Bible reading or story time.)

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