As good parents, we’re always thinking about what our kids need.  From a mother taking prenatal vitamins in the earliest stages of pregnancy, to a father saving for his child’s college fund, we’re constantly thinking about how we can provide for our kids.

Their greatest need, however, is love.   Not just any kind of love, but the unconditional, secure love that comes from God.

Rick Warren, author the Purpose Driven Life, said it like this, “Out of all the conversations parents need to have with their children, one of the first and most important is telling children that God created them and loves them. Until our children understand that they were made by God and for his pleasure, life will not make sense.”

It’s not enough for kids to know God loves them. They need to understand how God’s love works and makes a real difference in their lives.  If kids don’t understand how God’s love can change them, it will cripple with their spiritual lives and lead to all kinds of problems including struggles with:

• Perfectionism
• Insecurity
• Shame
• Low self-esteem
• People-pleasing
• Legalism (religion over relationship)
• Judgmental attitude

On the other hand, if we can help our kids get their heads and hearts around the reality of God’s love and how it works in their lives, they can experience freedom, confidence and spiritual growth.

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