Show, Do Not Tell: How To Encourage Kids to Read the Bible

“Baby’s First Bible”, stories about Noah, Moses and other heroes of the Bible, shows like “Super Book” and movies like “Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat” can pique a child’s interest to read  this fascinating book. More than simple interest, how else can we as parents help our child develop a love for and practice of reading the Bible?

Have you noticed how your young child loves to imitate you? — “I want to be like Mommy!” Or “What Daddy does I will do too!”  This brings us to an all-important question: Does your child see you enjoy studying God’s word daily? Or is your Bible only used when you go to church? Do you spend time reading your Bible every day? Or is your Bible displayed on a shelf gathering dust? 

Verses 4-9 of Deuteronomy hold valuable commands to help us help our child love His Word.

“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Dear Parents, include God not only in your prayers but in your day-to-day conversations with your child. Her classmate hurt her feelings yet again with her words? Show her what Jesus says about forgiveness. (Matthew 18:21-22) He tells you he is afraid of the dark? Show him how Elisha asked God to open the eyes of his companion so he can see God’s angel army surrounding them. (2 Kings 6:17-20)

How can we develop our child’s love for His word?

“Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.” V.7.

In other words, lead her into God’s word by bringing God’s word into her daily life.

This blog post is written by Lollétte Oliva Alipe, the author of Play Nice and Fight Fair and The Steadfast Snail.

Lollétte Oliva-Alipe is a professional trainer specializing in effective communication, and personality and career development. She is a broadcast communications graduate from the University of the Philippines and a Triple A Awardee of her alma mater, Maryknoll College. It was in her elementary years at Maryknoll College when she developed her love for reading, spending countless hours reading story books borrowed from the school library.

She is mom to four biological children, four foster children and one adopted daughter, and Mamita to four—and soon to be five—grandkids. She has written a book for couples, Play Nice and Fight Fair, and other Practical Lessons from 35 Years of Marriage, published by OMF Literature. She and Em, her husband of more than 40 years, live in Cebu City with Maki, their youngest daughter.