How to Encourage Our Children to Read The Bible
Right before bed one night, my 12-year-old daughter asked me to wake her up early. “Wake me up at 6:00, Mommy.”
I hesitated. “Why?”
She replied, “Because I need time to wake up. I want to take a shower, and I want to read my Bible.”
My heart leapt as I hugged her.
“Of course!” She smiled and skipped to bed. It was a moment that felt like a huge win as a mother.
The next morning, I woke her up, and when I returned from downstairs after a half-hour of my own Bible reading, I peeked into her room. She was on the bottom bunk with a blanket hung up like a tent. The room was dark, but I could see a reading light under the covers. Her sister was still asleep on the top bunk.
I pulled back the blanket and saw that she had her Bible, the Bible study from church, and a reading light. We smiled at each other and I told her it was time to get ready for school. As I think about that moment, and there have been several similar moments since that first morning, I wonder how it was that she decided on her own to get up early to read her Bible.
I had been getting up for almost six months to read my Bible in the morning (learn about my Bible reading plan here!) before waking the kids. At the time, I didn’t know that they knew I did that. But I had not put pressure on any of my kids to read their Bibles. I would suggest it, especially to our oldest son, who is now sixteen.
Then I began thinking of the subtle ways we all influence our children, even when we don’t realize we are doing it! So, I made a list of things I do to encourage my children to read their Bibles without even asking them directly.
How to Encourage Our Children to Read the Bible
Pray for them.
After reading several books and going through the Book of Psalms in my own personal Bible study, I was convicted to pray more often and more specifically for my children’s spiritual lives. I began to pray that the Lord would work in their hearts. Praying consistently for many months, I trusted that God was working in their hearts, even though there wasn’t obvious fruit. He was working.
Read the Bible in front of them.
When my children were very little, I was so tired I could never drag myself out of bed early to do my Bible reading. So many times, during cartoons or while they were starting their school, I would spend a few minutes at the kitchen table reading and studying the Bible. Throughout their entire childhoods, I’ve read my Bible either in front of them or with their knowledge.
Study the Bible together.
Most of the time, my husband and I would spend time talking about the Bible at the dinner table. We’ve done a few different things over the years, depending on their ages and attention spans, but periodically, if we were eating dinner together, we would read or study the Bible for a few minutes at the table. If we were in the middle of a crazy season, we would do it before bed. It doesn’t have to be fancy or long. Just a few minutes discussing God’s Word with them has become a priority.
I do not tell you these things to say we have figured it all out when it comes to how to encourage our children to read the Bible for themselves. As far as I know, my daughter is the only one who reads her Bible consistently in this season of life. I continue to pray and model this practice for my other children. Ultimately, we are not in control of our children’s choices, but we can show them what is helpful, talk to them about the Bible, and pray for them.
No matter what choices our children make, we can trust God. We can trust that He is working in their lives. Prayers make a difference. Don’t give up, no matter the ages of your children. Keep showing them the benefit of God’s Word in your own life and believe that God will work in the power of the Holy Spirit to produce spiritual fruit in its season.
