Changing Our Wording

In the book of John chapter 6 Jesus says these words, “No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him.” And again, later in that same passage, “No one can come to Me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

Salvation really is the work of God, his drawing, his leading that causes someone to see their need for him.

These days, rather than saying, “I hope to lead this person to Christ,” I am more comfortable saying, “I hope to lead this person to a place where they see their need for a Savior.” Do you see the subtle difference? I want to pray and ask God to do his heart work, a heart work that I, myself, am incapable of performing.
I want to lead my children to a place where they see their own need for a Savior. This may take time. It may take years. While I may play an important role, the burden of salvation rests solely on God.

As a parent who follows Christ, there is one thing then I desire more than anything. There’s something that I desire more than good grades or starting on the elite soccer team. I desire for my kids to have a meaningful relationship with Christ and see them in heaven someday.

Years ago my son and I were gardening. Let me rephrase that, I was gardening, he was five years old and spending time with me with a shovel in his hand getting dirty. As we were sharing time together, he began to ask me questions about heaven, salvation, forgiveness and about Jesus.

You see, I had been faithfully pouring into my son’s life. We had read the Bible before bed hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times. And now, with shovel in hand, I was praying my heart out asking God to do his work and show him his deepest spiritual need. Was this the time? Was this the moment that my son would come to faith in Christ?

Then my son asked, “Dad, what happens when I cut a warm in two? Will that worm grow into two separate worms?”

Well there you have it. This powerful moment of my son asking me questions about the faith had now passed.

Eight months passed, and we were again reading the Bible before bed. My son made a comment about how he was a Christian. I asked him what he thought being a Christian meant.

He replied, “A Christian is someone who has asked Jesus to forgive them of their sins and Jesus will forgive them because he died on the cross.” I asked him if this is something that had transpired in his life, thinking, of course, that it had not yet happened.

He replied, “A long time ago, we were in the garden. We were talking about a bunch of stuff and you are answering some of my questions about God and heaven and stuff. Then I set my shovel down, I closed my eyes and I asked Jesus to forgive me of all of my sins. He did. I’m a Christian.”

Well how about that! He certainly could’ve told his dad! Regardless, God had done his work. I was used in the process, but God drew my son to himself. My son saw his need for a Savior and responded according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Our job as parents is to lead our kids to a place where they will see their own need for a Savior. The rest is up to the Lord. Amen.

• Recall: Who bears the burden of Salvation in our children?
• Reflect: Do you need to change your wording or thinking? Have you been trying to lead your child to Christ instead of leading them to see their need for Him?
• Respond: How can you change your wording (or thinking), to allow God to bear the burden of Salvation? How can you change the way you lead your child?
• Rethink: What are you doing right now to show your children their need for a Savior?