That's what my 3yo cried at me today. Because Easter is coming up in a few days, and because this is a homeschooling household filled with projects, discussions, lapbooks, unit studies..... there has been a lot of talk about the reason for Jesus' death and resurrection. I think my oldest is starting to understand. As much as a 5yo can, anyhow. About an hour ago, my 3yo asked me how to get Jesus in his heart. I told him to just ask and walked him through the 'sinner's prayer'. My 5yo said it right along with us, until he got to the, "I'm sorry for all the bad stuff I've done" part :roll:. He kept saying, "why do I have to say that?" (does that make him half-saved? lol. I'm not worried, as he's still a ways away from a full understanding.... And let's not debate the theology of that statement, please.). Anyhow, DS3 said it all. Then he started asking questions. I answered them as best I could (doctrine + toddlers = tongue tied mother). Then, after a few minutes of silence, he started screaming and crying. "I don't waaaaaaaaant Jesus in my heart mommy! How do I get him out?!" :shock: I mean, his world was ending over this. So I explained that Jesus would not stay there if he didn't want Him there. The fit lasted for several minutes. I finally convinced him that Jesus was not in his heart. I prodded a little in an attempt to understand why he went nutty over it. DS5 kept saying, "You don't want to go to Hell, do you Quin? There's lot's of fire there." and "If you go to Heaven, God will give you a great big house all for yourself!" Seriously, it was the 5yo version of a typical "Hellfire and brimstone" sermon. I was cracking up a little. [FYI, I have no idea where he got the ideas about Hell. We've always just said, "if you don't go to Heaven, you don't get to be with God". That seems enough for a 5yo.] Finally Quin blurted out, "I don't wanna go anywhere! I want to stay home!" So in his 3yo mind, Jesus in his heart = Heaven = Death. So he didn't want Jesus in his heart. The whole thing was actually kind of cute. Now I've got to find a better way to talk to my little ones about the Lord. lol. We also had the, "Mommy, why did God make bad guys?" talk today. *sigh*
LOL!! That is too funny! Don't you just get a hoot out of the things they come up with? My middle ds asked me the other day if it hurts God when we drive on him. In his mind if God is everywhere then we must be driving on him when we drive down the road. Lisa
I was thinking he thought a little statue like jesus was inside him............ and that could be a scarry thought I guess you could explain jesus' love is in his heart.
Oh, that was too funny! I know that your kidlets are a little young, but we have really enjoyed the book, Leading Little Ones to God. I have found that it really did a pretty good job of discussing things.
I'll look into that book. I have one little book that I got from, um, some homeschool curriculum site. But it's still a little over their heads (ok, a lot over their heads. It's written 100% in Christianese).
I actually heard someone say once that you should never use the words "ask Jesus into your heart" for young children. Young children are very literal thinkers, and cannot grasp that concept.
My Jeannie was worried for a long time that if she got saved she'd immediately go to Heaven. She didn't want to be separated from her family, see? Even now I know she's not crazy at the thought that Jesus came back to life. We were talking about St Patrick using the clover to explain the Trinity and she says 'So what you're saying is, when Jesus was born it was really God Himself being born??' I told her yeah, and there are adults that still don't gt that one. The Holy Ghost she totally doesn't get.
The trinity can be so confusing for so many people. If I think about it too long, I begin to get confused, so I just accecpt the fact that I will probably never totally understand it inside and out. My 5 yo was telling me about the easter basket he wanted. We don't do easter baskets and easter eggs and such, so I was explaining to him that "easter isn't about toys and eggs..., but about Jesus dying on the cross..." He got all excited and said "Mommy I know that story" and told it to me. He still doesn't totally understand the whys of Jesus' death, but I was pretty proud of him for atleast remembering the story!
The trinity idea was bothering some of our kids at church and one little boy in particular kept telling me that nothing could be three things in one. He said it had to be one thing or another, but not three. I remembered an idea for a children's sermon I had seen so I got out the big "jam box" and we talked about what it was. It was a CD player, it was a cassette player, it was a radio too. The whole thing was three things in one. It seemed to turn on a light bulb for the one boy who had been so sure it was not possible. I loved seeing his face light up when he understood. He is almost 10 now and still isn't ready to invite Jesus into his heart but he is getting close.
THat's a good visual. I have also heard the trinity explained like an apple, peel - flesh - seeds - all different but part of the same fruit.
I remember once when my son was about3 1/2 - after he learned to go potty by himself we were at McDonald's play area. He was the kind of kid that would check in every so often...well one day he just seemed to disappear. I sent his sister thru the tubes to look for him. He was not there. Then ALL the kids in the play area started calling his name and looking for him. I was ready for a full-scale panic when he came back into the play room (it had only one door in and out)...proudly announcing he had just gone to the restroom by himself! Of course I hugged him tight and told him my heart would break in two if anything EVER happened to him and that while I was proud he could go on his own, that he wasn't allowed to go by himself in public places and to get Mommy. Later that night when retelling the story to my husband I repeated the statement about my heart breaking in two if anything happened to him. My son got REALLY upset and cried "But MOMMY, then JESUS would fall out of your heart!!!!". LOL
It seems we are always baking a cake for God and Jesus in this house. I guess that They just can't get enough.
Oh Amie, your kids are just too cute. My Roo is almost three and I know she would not quite get the idea either. She also says weird things relating to Heaven and Jesus. lol. My ds got saved when he was 5...or 6...I am thinking 5...UGH...anyway...he said he couldn't wait to die. I thought..oh no..is this how suicide bombers are born? LOL. Now, he wants to live. lol.
OK, so here's the update. Ds5 continued to bring up the topic of Hell to Ds3. So last night, in the middle of me reading our current chapter book, Ds3 says out of the blue, "Mommy, how do I get Jesus in my heart? I don't want to go to the bad place." So I told him the prayer again. lol. I can't wait for the day when it all clicks and they go through this again with the right heart and a better understanding. But at least I know they are on the right track. I was very proud yesterday, not because I though, "wooho, my boys are Christians", but because they are trying to figure it all out and care enough to ask questions and dig deeper.
Amie, you are doing a wonderful job! To have such young children thinking on these things is a great blessing. Your kids will no doubt come to a full understanding in no time. When leading children to the Lord, I have been taught to make sure they have an understanding of sin and subsitution. They need to know why they need a savior and that the savior has taken their punishment. Once those things are understood a child is ready to accept Jesus. Does anyone think that is not enough? I am curious. I have worked with many kids and never feel comfortable leading young ones to the Lord. I am fine with like 2nd grade and up. lol. Maybe it is me with little faith. lol.
Ds5 kept saying that Jesus gave his blood so we could be alive. But he obviously had no understanding of what "alive" meant. He thinks it means a literal life. Until he understands that, I don't think he'll be fully ready. Then again, that's only for God to decide. Sin was an easy one for them to grasp. I just told them that disobeying God is sin, just like disobeying Mommy and Daddy is wrong. They got that. But the substitution and need for a savior issues are a whole 'nother ballgame. Heck, I'm not sure I fully understand substitution. lol. That's why I hesitate to say they are "Christians" now in the full sense of the word. Yet, who am I to say they aren't? I will pray the sinners prayer with them as many times as they want to. I will continue to raise them into a more full understanding. And when they are actually "saved" will be between them and the Lord.
That's where kids sometimes have it over us...they seem to grasp things better in some areas. They just don't have the doubt in their minds or all the clutter. When I explained it to my son, I said it was like his sister getting spanked for something he had done. Except it would be more like getting the spanking of a lifetime so he would never have to get spanked again...yet he may still sin. He seemed to understand that. I think it is awesome that your son is getting the concept of Jesus' blood being an important part of salvation. He will get it. He may get it more than it seems but not have the vocabulary or finese with words to explain it.
I'll tell you what, as they get older and have a desire for the word and you see them reading the bible on their own...it's so...amazing. My eldest can't wait until this summer when we're going to do a "Who I Am in Christ" study together going thru each of the verses from one of Neil Anderson's books (not that I'm a huge Neil fan...but the list has some very powerfully true scriptures in them). She's craving the desire to know who she is and why God loves her (she did make a profession of faith a long time ago - but this year is the first year where I see yearning and desire for the Lord, and it's amazingly beautiful).
