Use Creation to Teach Your Children About Jehovah (WT 5-28-23) Flashcards
Use Creation to Teach Your Children About Jehovah (WT 5-28-23)
How do we use Creation to teach our children (and grandchildren) about Jehovah?
Preview: “Many brothers and sisters have fond memories of time spent enjoying creation with their Christian parents. They have not forgotten how their parents used those occasions to teach them about Jehovah’s personality. If you have children, how can you use creation to teach them about God’s qualities? This article will address that question.”
Four items.
USE CREATION TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN—HOW?
WHEN CAN YOU USE CREATION TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN?
JEHOVAH’S “INVISIBLE QUALITIES ARE CLEARLY SEEN”
To help your children perceive Jehovah’s love, you could point out the tender way in which many animals care for their young. (Matt. 23:37) You could also highlight the wonderful variety that we enjoy so much in creation.
ENJOY JEHOVAH’S CREATION AS A FAMILY
How?
The Bible says that God’s “invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made.” (Rom. 1:20) Parents, you likely enjoy spending time outdoors with your young ones. Use that time to help your children see the connection between “the things made” and Jehovah’s marvelous qualities. In this regard, let us see what parents can learn from Jesus’ example. (WTS)
How also?
Note how Jesus used creation to teach. On one occasion, he asked his disciples to observe the ravens and the lilies. (Read Luke 12:24, 27-30.) Jesus could have mentioned any animal or plant, but he chose a bird and a flower that his disciples knew well. The disciples might have seen ravens flying overhead and flowers blooming in the field. Can you imagine Jesus gesturing toward these things as he spoke? And what did he do after mentioning these examples? He taught his disciples a powerful lesson about their heavenly Father’s generosity and kindness: Jehovah will feed and clothe his faithful servants as he does the ravens and the flowers in the field.
More ways?
You might tell your child about an aspect of creation that you personally appreciate, such as your favorite animal or plant. As you do, be sure to explain what that example reveals about Jehovah. You might then ask your child about his favorite animal or plant. If you use an aspect of creation that already appeals to him, he will probably pay even closer attention when you talk about Jehovah’s qualities. What can we learn from the example set by Christopher’s mother? Do parents have to spend a lot of time researching a particular animal or plant before discussing what that creative work reveals about Jehovah? Not necessarily. Jesus did not give a long explanation regarding the feeding habits of ravens or the cellular composition of lilies. Granted, your child may occasionally enjoy a deeper discussion about nature, but sometimes a simple observation or question is enough to make the point. Note what a brother named Christopher remembers from his childhood: “My mom would make simple comments to help us appreciate the creation around us. For example, when we were near mountains, she might say:** ‘Look at how huge and beautiful those mountains are! Isn’t Jehovah amazing?’ **Or when we were near the ocean, she might say: ‘Look at the power of those waves! Isn’t God powerful?’” Christopher says: “Those simple, thought-provoking comments had a big impact on us.”
