“Dad, why are those two countries fighting?”
“Mom, what’s happening to them?”
“Is anybody going to help them?”
Has your child ever been upset by something in the news?
Maybe it was a story of a terrible crime, a picture of war, or a video of people who don’t have clean water. Jesus understood that it’s natural to feel discouraged when you hear bad news. He knew we would encounter difficult things in our lives, but he also assured us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b).
With all the recent news, your child may have lots of questions about wars, persecutions, and justice. How do we discuss these tough topics with our kids? How can we be sensitive to their ages while also keeping them informed?
Check out this week's Kids Corner devotion Good News Bad News—about the hope God’s good news can bring us in the midst of the bad news. This week, come to God as family and humbly pray for justice in a world that needs Jesus.
Be sure to also read this week's parent blog, Talking to Your Kids About War: Informed and In Prayer. Take the time to pray together and help your family stay informed, talk openly, and think about the news using a Christian worldview. As they learn about the world, their awareness will create empathy, understanding, and knowledge, and they’ll learn to seek out and pray for God’s justice.
The best way to know our neighbors is to learn about them; and the best way to love our neighbors is to pray over them and walk alongside them.
