I currently don’t have any children, but I do know that when that time comes I will gladly and passionately teach them about God. One of the main ways I’ll accomplish that is through example. They will see the evidence of God’s glory on my life and will want to accomplish the same. Here are some reasons why I will teach them about God.

God is a good parent and role model.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” – 1 John 4:7-8

One way that children learn is through observation. They learn to imitate their peers, parents, and popular stars in the media. I agree that there are examples in the Bible of horrible acts being committed against innocent men. The people that committed those acts should not be emulated. One may state that God did not step in and guide them, but that is incorrect. He has given us free will. That means that sometimes a person’s own ego, greed, and pride will act as a roadblock to God’s guidance. They just wouldn’t listen due to their own ego. To presume that God has not attempted to guide them is falling victim to the willful ignorance of confirmation bias.

There are just as many examples of God guiding others to love instead of condemn and harm. In Mark 3:17, we can read that James and John were given the name “Sons of Thunder.”(2) They were loud, boisterous, and quick to anger. In Luke 9:51-56, these 2 disciples were displeased with the Samaritans that did not welcome Jesus into their town. James and John cried out “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” Did Jesus allow that? Absolutely not! The Bible says, “But Jesus turned and rebuked them” – Luke 9:55. That is one example of the human ego being quick to use violence, but God’s compassion guided them to love instead. The Bile is full of characters worthy of emulation, and those characters were guided by God. He truly is a good role model.

God is logical.
”Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off” - Proverbs 24:14

”A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength”- Proverbs 24:5

“The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame” – Proverbs 3:35

The trials and tribulations of life can degrade a person’s spirit and conscience if he is not guided. Also, his ego and pride may get in the way of any help that is offered to him, whether that is Divine guidance or guidance from another human. God does not only advocate that we defer all responsibility to Him. The above scriptures advocate the application of wisdom and knowledge. I take this to mean that it is up to us to allow Him to guide us in the search for knowledge that will address tangible problems here on Earth.

James 1:22 (NLT) states: ”But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” This scripture clearly states that we are to apply God’s knowledge and wisdom to the world around us. All the senseless tragedies that were committed throughout history were the result of those who went against the word of God. And it is the responsibility of Godly men to spread the word of God’s compassion and humility so that we may shed light on these heinous acts in the hopes that they will not be repeated. How do we do that? We do that not only through prayer and guidance, but logical and tangible action.

God is fair.
“A just balance and scales are the Lord's; all the weights in the bag are His work –Proverbs 16:11
“For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.” – Hebrews 6:10

Not only is God fair, he is benevolent. He has sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins. The notion that our lives should be perfect is pride speaking. Furthermore, the sacrifice on the cross was a testament to not only the horror of sin but the humility and love of God. In the grand scope of things, salvation is ours. Eternity trumps any earthly sufferings. The question of why some babies are born with defects is a difficult one. I can’t state that I know the complete answer. However, I can share the Biblical answer to this.

When Adam and Eve decided to exercise their free will and eat from the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil,” they essentially told God “We don’t want Your world, we want our world, a world that is born out of our own knowledge of good and evil. We can decide on morality. We don’t want you to have all the say.” So God granted that choice and the consequence is a world of sin. Sin is the biblical answer to why tragedies happen. When a baby is born with defects, it’s not the sin of his parents that caused it. It’s original sin.

God protects the innocent.
“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalms 91:14-16

The fact that many of us go about our day safely is a possibility that we have been protected from things unseen. How many times have you heard stories of a person driving another to route to work, and he found out that there was an accident on his usual route? How about when one receives a gut feeling about a situation to avoid, only finding out later that the feeling was correct? I believe these are not just coincidences, but examples of God’s grace and protection.

God is present
“And he said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” – Exodus 33:14

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5

Teaching our children to love a person they cannot see, smell, touch or hear may seem like it doesn't make sense. However, it’s my opinion that this teaching will instill hope, faith, and loyalty. Those are all traits that will benefit our children. If we are to teach them to love something so intangible, imagine how much love they will have for things that are tangible, such as family and friends.

God Teaches Children to Be Good
“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” –Ephesians 5:1-2

A child should certainly make moral choices for the right reasons. I agree that telling him to behave because God is watching will focus his morality externally instead of internally. That is why I will choose to teach my children not only to behave because it will grant them God’s favor, but also, I’ll teach them to be imitators of Christ for their own benefit as well as those around them. Living a life of compassion, balance and humility is a life well lived.

God Teaches Humility and Purpose
“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, and serve the Lord.” - Romans 12:10-11

God teaches us that our main purpose in life is to serve. One can only serve when he is humble. Teaching our children that God has a purpose for them is not giving them a free pass to complacency. Instead it teaches them to maturely accept their current situation, while boldly striving for the ideal.

Teaching our children about God in a loving, open minded way, while allowing them to make their own decisions is a great way to instill hope, peace, and joy into their lives. Of course, it shouldn't be forced onto anyone. That will only bring resentment. Instead I will choose to live a Godly life to serve as a testament to His grace and mercy. I accept, believe, and love God, but I don’t want to force my religious views onto anybody. I simply live a guided life.

P.S. For those interested in a more detailed version, check out the notes section on my Facebook page