We Don't Have to Lie to Our Kids

I know faith in Jesus Christ makes a difference in people’s lives.  I have worked for a hospital chaplaincy service for over twelve years.  One of the first things I discovered is people who know Jesus handle crisis differently.  Even in the face of death, Christians are people of hope.  That is especially comforting for me as an “older adult” who does think end of life issues.  Yes. death can get personal sometimes.

I recently read an article from the Wall Street Journal that caused me to look at the relationship between faith and hope from a whole new perspective.  The article was written by a Jewish therapist named Erica Komisar. Dr. Komisar was speaking religion and spiritual practices in a general way, but her most direct application was to the lives of Children and teens.  She noted that when asked by parents, “How do I talk to my child about death if I don’t believe in God or heaven?”  Her reply is always the same: “Lie.”  Therapist Komisar further notes, “In an age of broken families, distracted parents, school violence and imagination plays a big part in children’s ability to cope.”  In other words, kids need something to believe in.  Faith is that rock.

If we know Jesus, we possess the only “real” hope.  And what is the consequence?  The article noted a 2018 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology that examined how being raised in a family with religious or spiritual beliefs affects mental health.  The result? Children and teens who reported attending a religious service as least once a week scored higher on psychological well-being measurements and had a lower risk of mental illness. 

What a blessings we have in the good news of Jesus.  It is not only a reason to face death with a spirit of hope but it is a confidence we can live with every day.  It is also a faith we can pass on to our children.  That happens not just in the way we verbalize it, but in fact is best taught by them observing the way we handle crisis.  And thank goodness we don’t have to lie when they ask us about heaven.  We can just point them to Jesus and the cross and empty tomb.