If you have children, it is likely you have spent many hours at your local public library. Libraries are a great way to encourage children to read and learn about the world around them. They can sharpen academic skills needed for success by reading lots of library books. Your children can even use books to explore who they want to be when they are adults.
Sadly, there is one library your children may rarely visit with you or independently. This is actually the best library in the world. The books in it contain the knowledge your children will need to live the best possible life. It has books that teach them how to have better character and healthy relationships with others. There are books that encourage them to serve other people. It even has books with some of the most exciting history the world has ever known.
Where is this library? In the Bible! We often present the Bible to children as one very large, extremely overwhelming book. We give it to them on a reading level far above their own. We don’t help them with vocabulary and other necessary reading comprehension skills. And then we wonder why they don’t read it or do what it says to do.
The truth is that the Bible is actually a library of 66 books. They aren’t in perfect chronological order, so they don’t have to be read in the order they have been placed. There are books of exciting history, wisdom, poetry, biography and more. You can even give your children an NIrV version written on a third grade level – making it easier for even beginning and struggling readers to read independently.
You can take your kids to this library by reading them stories and scriptures from it. You can improve their reading comprehension by explaining vocabulary words to them and discussing the meaning of various verses and passages. Ask them questions about what they read and encourage them to tell you about stories and other passages in their own words.
You can also encourage them to read books from the library independently. Start them on story heavy books like Esther, Ruth, Judges, Genesis, the Gospels and Acts. Or steer them towards books with lots of practical wisdom like Proverbs and James.
It’s best to visit this special library daily, but if you and your children have never been before (except “field trips” on Sundays), start with just a verse from a book a day to develop healthy reading habits. On days when you have more time, try to read more. On days that are hectic, that one verse will keep you in the habit of going to the library every day.
Changing your children’s perspective on reading scripture can help them develop lifelong scripture reading and studying habits. Those habits can strengthen their faith and help them reach their full God given potential.