The 7 Most Important Things You Can Tell A Child

I find that it isn’t all that hard to talk to kids.  They like to talk if you can find some common ground and explore something that really interests them.
As children’s ministers, and as parents, though, there are things that they need to hear from us.  Words are powerful things, and the tongue has the power to build up and to tear apart both by its action and by its inaction.  In other words, silence can be just as damaging as a negative spoken word.  Here are seven important things that every child needs to hear:
1. God loves you.  No matter what a child is going through – no matter what circumstances they find themselves in, this statement will always be true.  God loves them, and they need to hear it.  Much more than hear it though, they need to understand it.  They need to know that God’s love is unconditional.  It doesn’t matter what they have done or what they haven’t done – God always has, does, and always will love them.  Impress that on their hearts and you have laid an unbreakable foundation.
2. Jesus died for you.  From a very young age, kids have to know that Jesus dies on the cross their sins – for their bad decisions.  What an amazing act of love.  They must understand that Jesus, that God, made the ultimate sacrifice for them.
3. You need Jesus. In order for kids to understand the magnitude of the sacrifice of Jesus, they must also understand their own sins and bad decisions, and that Jesus died specifically for their sins and because he loved them.  There is much dispute about teaching kids about sins.  If you’re interested in reading more, you can check out a series I did on Dad in the Middle called 5 Things Kids Must Know About Sin.
4. You are valuable to God. God created us in his own image, and although he does not need us, we are all valuable to him.  Our value was expressed in his willingness to send his Son to die on the cross for our sins.  In God’s eyes, there is no such thing as a mistake or a nobody.  God doesn’t just value people in general, He values you specifically.
5. There is a purpose for your life. Not only does God value each child, he has a plan for them.  God made each child with a purpose and a plan.  No life is wasted when it is lived in accordance with God’s plan.
6. I love you. God’s love is all-powerful and sustaining, but it is not enough.  When God created Adam and it was just him, God acknowledged that he needed something more, he needed relationships with other humans, so God created Eve and told them be fruitful and multiply.  Kids need know that God loves them, but they also need to know that you love them!
7. I’m glad you’re here. Every child needs to feel valued and wanted.  Let them know that their presence in your life means something to you.  Make sure that they understand that their mere existence brings you happiness and joy.
There you have it.  Seven things every kid needs to know and hear.  And, the best thing about these seven statements is that you can never say them enough!