Watching the news recently I was captured by the story of the young American woman, Jessica Buchanan, who was rescued by the elite Navy SEAL Team 6. I remember as soon as I heard the newscaster announce the story, it popped into my head, “What a great way to illustrate the salvation message for children.”
The young lady had been held for months with no hope of escape. She could not save herself. And given the history of the Somali pirates who have kidnapped regular people for ransom, it was probably a pretty sure bet that she thought she was going to die. And then this incredible thing happened. Without any planning on her part, it wasn’t her idea, it wasn’t even within her power to pull it off herself, Navy SEAL Team 6 came in and rescued her. She was saved.
This is a great example that you can use with parents to show them how they can use everyday situations to teach their children biblical principles. There are numerous stories that happen in the news that illustrate character traits that we would like to promote or habits and choices that we would like to discourage. The news provides the visual/ the backdrop, parents just need to be ready to take advantage of the opportunity to initiate a teachable moment.
The other aspect of the story was the Somali pirates taking people for ransom. Another news story talked about how the aid workers that are being taken are often in the least position to be able to afford to pay. We were once like those hostages. There was a price on our head, and we could never afford to pay it. Jesus paid that ransom. We use those big churchy words–”substitutionary atonement” for our sins. It simply means that Jesus Christ is our ransom. He took our place, He paid the price.
Use current events to teach biblical messages and you will put context to the principles you are trying to teach. Those events paint a picture and help children visualize biblical concepts that can be hard sometimes to put into words.
Then an added bonus is you get to pray for those situations. Prayer in action. Instead of a general “bless everyone” prayer, kids get the opportunity to pray for real situations.
Take it a step further and bring a newspaper in to your children’s ministry and give children and volunteers a chance to pray for things that are happening in the community.
This is one practical way you can help equip parents to raise a generation that lives out the Gospel message.
