If you have been a Christian for very long, you are probably familiar with the Fruit of the Spirit. These are a list of godly characteristics that should be obvious in the lives of Christians. (Galatians 5:22-23) Kindness is one that normally doesn’t get much attention. It’s crucial though for living a Christian life.
If you read the New Testament, a pattern becomes obvious. God wants us to love others, but how we treat people as we love them also serves to draw people towards God. They will want to know why your kids are different than other kids they know. Many will start asking questions and your kids can use those opportunities to share their faith.
Since kindness is a Fruit of the Spirit, your kids will have an easier time once they are old enough to decide to become a Christian and are baptized for the remission of their sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Making that transition will be easier though, if they don’t have to break a lot of bad habits. Training them to be kind from the beginning will make it easier when they become a Christian.
So what are the six key areas on which you should focus as you teach your kids how to be kind to others?
I’m pretty sure the tradition goes back for decades – if not centuries. Christmas afternoon, kids suddenly begin communicating with their friends. “Gabby got a new iPhone.” “Tommy got the latest gaming system.” Even the least materialistic kids in the world, begin turning the slightest shade of green with envy. The gifts that were “awesome” a few hours ago, now seem a bit sad by comparison.
Our culture often shouts from the mountain tops when someone helps someone else. As an educator, I understand. Society wants to encourage others to serve. They believe giving special attention and praise to people when they serve others encourages people who are more reluctant to serve others also.
When I was a kid, I remember someone telling us about “hidden messages” in albums if they were played backwards. Frankly, I was more curious about how in the world you could get your album to play backwards than any possible hidden messages.
Recently an elementary school teacher shared they were getting suicide prevention training, because suicide rates for children were rising so drastically. There are many reasons for the rise in suicides, but one contributing factor is often that the person has lost all hope. While raising hope-filled kids won’t guarantee they will never commit suicide or harm themselves in other ways, it does greatly improve the chances they will be less likely to feel there is no hope in their lives or their worlds.