Lessons From My Preschooler About Good Friday

Parents have been asking me lately how to talk to their preschool kids about God. My response usually involves me spitting out and choking on the current beverage I have poured down my throat. Why on earth anyone would think I know what I am doing in that realm is beyond me. Put me in a room with teenagers and their families and I am delighted to question and wrestle alongside them as we figure out our spiritual journey together. Put me in a room with preschoolers and I am completely clueless how to answer their most blatant questions. Their cuteness and unpredictably are like lethal weapons that cause me great anxiety. I love preschoolers with all my heart but they also terrify me. It's a weird bag of emotions. Anyway, when my own preschooler asks me questions about God I don't know what I am doing and I get all panicky about making sure I give him the right answers so I don't forever screw up his view of God. Truth is, I don't know what I am doing but I try my best with what I know. I think thats the best thing parents can do along with surround their kids with other adults full of Godly wisdom. This is why church is so important for our family. So this was me trying to explain the story of the cross on this Good Friday... 

 Desmond: Why did Jesus have to die for our sin?
Me: Um because God loves us so much honey that he wanted us to be free from our sin in order to be with us. 
Desmond: But why did he have to die?
Me: I guess God thought this was the best way to show us that he loved us. I don’t really know why God didn’t fix our sin another way but this type of sacrifice sure is makes for a beautiful story even though I don’t understand it. 
Desmond: Who are the bad guys in the story of Jesus? 
Me: Well, we are all kind of the bad guys because we all are the reason Jesus had to die on the cross. Desmond: Why? 
Me: We all do bad things sometimes which is called sin, but thankfully Jesus forgave us anyway even while we were mean to him and hung him on the cross. He still chose to forgive us. 
Desmond: Do you know what Jesus should have done? He should have turned into Super Yoshi and swolled the bad guys and pooped them out into eggs. Hahaha! 
Me: Yes, what a fantastic idea! You should definitely tell that to Jesus.

I may not know what I am doing, but I do know that just because I have fears of screwing things up doesn't mean I shouldn't try. If I claim Jesus as the foundation for my life than I sure as heck better talk to my kids about what that means. All I can do is try! I try to point to LOVE in all the best ways that I can. I want my kids to know God is love and Jesus Christ's sacrifice is the greatest act of love of all time. 

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