I always say that one of the hardest things about teaching is forgetting what it is like not to know something. In order to explain a concept or theory you have to be cognizant of the other person’s baseline knowledge. When an idea becomes familiar to you, it can be a challenge to remember what it is like for it to be unfamiliar. Teaching requires that you try to remember.
The same is true when it comes to teaching our kids. And one of the most joyous things that a parent can do is to teach their child about God. In doing so we may be surprised that we can learn a few things ourselves!
For example, recently one of my kids memorized Mark 16:15 which states
Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation
Thinking I was being on top of it, I explained to her that “the Gospel” meant the good news that Christ died for our sins.
“What does proclaim mean?” she quickly asked.
I stopped in my tracks.
“Well it means to shout, to make known, to boldly share.” I stated.
And my daughter, satisfied with my explanation, continued what she was doing.
However the conversation stuck with me. So often we talk of “sharing” the Gospel, which is good, but has a unobtrusive tone to it. It seems to indicate that we tell people the good news of Jesus’ sacrifice when they are wanting to hear it. “Proclaim” on the other hand is courageous. It doesn’t wait for someone to ask; it is regularly and eagerly making the good news known.
And I had to ask myself – “is that what I’m doing?”
Am I regularly telling people about Christ with boldness?
Am I making Him known in my words and deeds?
Am I willing to loudly share what He has done for me?
Or am I too busy being unobtrusive that I don’t have any time to “proclaim”?
