What About You? Have You Ever Seen A Rainbow?
How is your child like Noah? Most importantly, that they can be a hero for God just like Noah! Use these tips to help your child find inspiration in Noah’s story. First, enjoy reading Noah And Me with your child. Like with all The Bible and Me books, don’t feel like you must discuss all the questions… you have years for that! Simply enjoy, it is a wonderful story of a man and his family – a family that saved the world! Once your child has grown familiar with the story, then you can dive into all those great discussion questions which I am certain will spark your own questions and lead to wonderful family talks. With that said, I feel the following 4 life lessons are the most important for your child to get from Noah and Me.
Life Lessons from Noah and Me
Your child can be made aware that just like Noah, God has a plan for them. He has something special in store just for them, no one else has the same plan as your child. They are so very special in God’s heart and he made them with all the talents, courage, and heart to grow and accomplish the great purpose he has in store for them. This is a very powerful message for your child. Look them straight in the eye and with all sincerity and love, tell them that God has a plan just for them. As a children’s ministry worker, I have said this to every child I have worked with at one point or another and most times the reaction is the same – awe. Kids can be overwhelmed by the words “Sarah, God has a very special plan for you and he needs you to be willing to help him accomplish his plan.” Be the one that tells your child that amazing truth!
Noah remembered God each and every day. Kids need help to develop the habit of taking time to talk to God. It can be a morning prayer, mealtime prayer, after school prayer, or bedtime prayer. You can pray in the car on the way to school, in the yard while playing, you can walk the neighborhood and pray for your neighbors. Praying with kids is the best because you don’t have to pray the fancy prayers often heard at church! You can just talk to God with your child like you would teach your child to talk on the phone with a grandparent or friend. My daughter used to say “Hello God”, then tell him what she had to say or ask about and end it with “Talk to you later”. That’s a great way for a child to pray – simply talking to a friend – hopefully their best friend!
This next lesson for your children from Noah and Me isn’t quite as obvious, but Noah listened to God. He didn’t just talk TO God, he had to listen as well. And when God spoke to Noah, Noah knew that it was God. Depending on the age of your child, this discussion can be as simple as recognizing voices. Play a game where the child covers their eyes or sits with their back to their family and friends. Take turns speaking and have your child listen to determine which person it is just by their voice. You can talk about what voices you trust and what voices you don’t trust. This all leads to the knowledge that God will speak to them in their heart and they will want to listen to him, so they have to begin to recognize his voice just like they do their family’s voices. As your kids grow, you can share with them true stories of your life. Tell them when you knew it was God pushing you towards (or away) from something and you listened and followed his advice. Let them know how it worked out for you when you listened and obeyed. You can also share when you chose to listen to peoples’ voices or bullies’ voices and how that worked out so differently.
Lastly, but not any less important, when Noah and his family got teased for following God’s plan, they didn’t just quit and walk away from it. This is such a strong message in our world right now. Kids are bullied, peer pressure is intense, and social media adds an entire new level of shame, pressure, knowledge and more. Your child may find themselves in a place where they have to choose to stand up for their faith in God, how they act, how they spend their time, how they are firmly planted in his love. That doesn’t just happen, role models like Noah can help them do this when tough days come. We think of Noah’s Ark as an old, old story, but there is so much in here for our kids to base their own actions on. Standing up in the face of teasing is not easy. But just like Noah, if they know without a doubt that God has a plan and he will not let them down, then they certainly can and will stand up for their faith and their actions.