One of the great pleasures of parenthood is the privilege of introducing your kids to God’s Word. Even before they’re able to read, your kids can get to know Scripture in a powerful and lasting way. If they’re old enough to recite a nursery rhyme or sing along to a favorite song, your kids are old enough to memorize Bible verses.
As a parent, you have a golden opportunity to shape your kids’ earliest memories of the Bible. If you make it seem fun, interesting, important, and vital, you may establish in them a mindset that will last a lifetime.
Your first step is to create an atmosphere conducive to your kids’ learning styles.
Make up tunes to accompany the words of a verse. Take turns saying every other word in a passage—or play fill-in-the-blank. Recite a verse as a family before every meal and at bedtime. Draw pictures or symbols that help communicate the message of the verse. Use hand gestures as part of the memorization process. Award a gold star for every passage your kids learn.
Your second step is to give your kids the why behind the what.
Using language that’s easy for them to understand, explain why each verse is important to remember.
Your third, and perhaps most important, step is to choose the right verses to memorize.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
1. Jesus wept (John 11:35).
There’s nothing wrong with cherry-picking the shortest verse in the Bible as the first one for your kids to memorize. Not only will it give them a sense of accomplishment right out of the gate, but it will also help them recognize Jesus as someone who cried when He was sad.
2. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14).
Jesus didn’t just talk to grownups. He talked and played with and cared about little kids too—little kids who were just like your children.
3. Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity (1 Tim. 4:12).
Even kids can be an example. When others see a child doing good things, it will make them want to do good things. So, kids shouldn’t let anyone tell them that they’re not important just because they’re young.
4. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1).
Everything beautiful, good, and awesome that we see in the universe, in nature, and in people was created by God.
5. “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Ps. 119:11).
When we have God’s Word in our memory and in our heart, it makes it harder for the devil to get us to do bad things.
6. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
God sent Jesus, His only Son, to die on the cross and rise from the dead so that we can live forever in heaven with Him.
+++
Thomas Nelson’s new NKJV and KJV Youth Edition Bibles are lightweight and easy-to-carry for the student on the go to church, school, and summer camp. The quality of the materials used to make these editions are a step up from the normal standard and, at an excellent price, these new youth edition Bibles make great gifts for birthdays, graduations, youth camps, or other special events.
