Learning from mistakes with God’s help

How can we instil God’s love in our children’s hearts while encouraging them to learn from their mistakes? Here are some practical pointers.

We are deeply convinced that God Himself is love (1 John 4: 8). As Jesus explained in His parables, we can teach our children that God is not a strict judge but like a loving Father, who waits for us with open arms. However, this does not mean that our conduct has no consequences. We should always give our best out of love for God.

When children make mistakes, we can encourage them to be honest with themselves and with God. We can explain to them that it is okay to make mistakes, because they are a natural part of our human nature. However, when we talk to our children, our focus should be on the fact that God loves us despite our wrongdoings, and that He will always reach out His hand to us. 

Jesus taught us about repentance and remorse and urged us to change our ways and turn back to God. When children understand that repentance involves a healing process that brings us closer to God, they can better grasp the love of God. The parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is a wonderful example for the unconditional love of God and the joyful welcome we can expect when we come back to the Lord.

We should not only explain the principles of love and forgiveness to our children, but follow them ourselves and be examples of how we deal with our own faults and those of others. By teaching them that God is not upset if we do something wrong, but that His love gives us the courage to do better next time, we create an atmosphere of acceptance and security. In this way, we can help children build a deeper connection with God.

Here are five practical tips: 

• Prayer and gratitude. We can encourage our children to pray regularly and thank God for His love and forgiveness. Praying together creates an opportunity to talk about personal experiences and challenges. 
• Bible stories and conversations. Reading Bible stories that focus on God’s love and forgiveness is a wonderful way to discover together with them how they can apply the stories and their messages to their own lives. 
• Correction and guidance. Forgiving wrongs does not mean ignoring them or simply accepting them. Children should understand that loving and gentle correction is not a punishment, but a way to guide them on the right path. We can encourage children to reflect on their experiences and to use their mistakes as learning opportunities. 
• Praise and appreciation: When we not only praise the children’s achievements but above all their efforts, we show them that God’s love remains constant regardless of achievements or mistakes.
• Patience and understanding: When children do something wrong, we need to be patient. Because then we can remind them that God is also patient and understanding.

Photo: Luiza – stock.adobe.com

About the author

Maraike Finnern is a teacher and school counsellor at a primary school in Hamburg, Germany. She heads the Working Group Children and Teaching for the Regional Church of Northern and Eastern Germany.