I don’t know about you but it seems like my kids are always asking me how, what and why.  Why are things that taste so good not good for you? Why does popcorn pop? Why can’t we just use the plastic card to buy whatever we want?

A lot of times, I begin by trying to answer questions like these but as my kids continue to ask more questions at some point I say ‘just because.’ (It usually doesn’t work but at least I feel like I am transitioning the conversation.)

This past weekend at Elevation, Pastor Robert Morris presented Exodus 13:14-15 which put a new light on my kids asking why.  The passage states, “In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’

When it comes to matters of our faith in Jesus, we need to take the time to say ‘this is why.’  Your child may or may not be ready to understand your lengthy answer but one thing that every child understands is love.  When you start to explain to your child why we give generously, serve each weekend and worship so passionately begin with God’s redemptive story of love.  Hopefully they will never get enough of hearing all that God has done for your family.

Frank Bealer (Family Pastor)