Insights

Sustainable definition: 1.) of, relating to , or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged
2.) of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods.

    I have found it hard to find ways to describe faith to children without describing an action that a person has taken in faith.  It was never the action itself that was faith, but the boldness of the action and the decision to make the action was fueled by faith in God and who He is. In Hebrew 11, the list of the ancients’ actions in faith are not always the stories that I would have presented or listed as their “faith moment”. Isaac in particular strikes me as curious. How is Isaac who was tricked into blessing Jacob instead of Esau a faithful act? I can only assume that in doing the act of blessing Isaac had made a decision in his present time based on his knowledge of God for the future. Faith acts seem to have an element of the unseen. We make decisions in our “now” based on faith. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrew 11:1) So, how do we teach children to have a faith that will sustain them for the future when they can’t see faith? Bless them in the now with acts of faith and the remembrance of how God sustained your family in the past. Let them in how you make decisions in faith and then boldly act. Be intentional in saying, “ I am acting in faith. I don’t know what will happen, but I know that I am being called to make this decision in faith.” Children need to hear the connection between your decision making process and faith.  Another way that was recommended to me, was to create a family faith box or display. We had a shadow box that I would add to and it had events or pictures of times that our family was sustained by the Lord. ( I will admit that a majority of them were hurricanes.)Then add to the shadow box and remind them of God’s goodness. Rooting them in how God has acted in the past and reminding them of His nature will help sustain their faith. Bringing the actions and stories of tangible faith into their present will sustain them in their future.

By Leah Rabb
Elementary Education Principal
Logos Preparatory Academy