Editor’s Note: As students and parents continue to prepare for a new school year, there are several key issues that every family should consider with their children. Regardless of school choice preferences (public, private, homeschool), every parent should not just consider key issues but should discuss certain concepts with their child before embarking on another school year. This blog miniseries will address several of those issues. (Part one – Purpose of Life, Part two – Worldview, Part three – Temptation, Part Four – Christ, Part Five – Loving Others, Part Six – Living Consistent)

Purpose of Life

As children head back to school, one of the key issues they should remember is purpose of life. What response would you receive if you were to ask your child, “What is your purpose in life?” Just this question is actually scary as a parent. I hope my children would give the right answer, but it is impossible to say. Therefore, this is a good time to review with our children this key principle for living.
Back to School – Purpose of Life Click To Tweet

What is the right answer?

Our children should be able to tell us that their purpose in life is to bring glory to God. There are many ways to say this such as: to bring glory to God, to be God’s kind of person, to honor Jesus, to become more like Jesus, to act like Jesus every day. Of course the exact wording is not as important as the concept.

Key Bible Passages to Help

“Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

“Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him” (2 Corinthians 5:9).

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

“Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him” (Isaiah 43:7).

“If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

Jesus also was young and grew in wisdom.

The Bible teaches in Luke, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52).

This is a helpful verse and concept for our children to hear and understand. Jesus was also their age. Jesus faced the same pressures that our children face – yes, a different time period and in a different context – but ultimately, the same types of pressures (cf., Heb 4:15). It was in each of these pressures that Jesus demonstrated His love for God by bringing honor and glory to God (cf., John 17:4).

Jesus' goal in everyday living was to do whatever God wanted Him to do. Through doing what God wanted Him to do, Jesus proved His love for God the Father. Click To Tweet

In similar ways, we want our children to understand two things: 1) A desire to honor and glorify God should motivate everything our children do; 2) This is demonstrated through obedience to God.

Teaching Opportunities for Parents

  • Have your child memorize (or better yet, have the entire family memorize) one or two of the key verses above. Be sure you explain them clearly for your child to understand what they mean. I particularly like 1 Corinthians 10:13 and 2 Corinthians 5:9. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 you can review what “whatsoever” means and give many clarifying examples. In 2 Corinthians 5:9 you can talk through what aim or goal means as well as living a life that is well-pleasing in the power of Christ.
  • Take time to pray with your children to ask God to grant them the wisdom to live for what God wants from them.
  • You can use any tool out of a kitchen drawer or some similar item to illustrate this principle. Ask the child, “For what purpose the designer of the tool make this tool?” Have them consider the uses and purposes of the designer. You can ask other questions like, “Could you use this for other purposes?” “If the designer of this product watched us use it in this way, do you think he or she would be pleased or satisfied?”
  • You could go to your local hardware store and buy a carpenter’s pencil or roofing pencil. I use this illustration often with children to help them understand this principle. Ask your child, “Why do you think this pencil is flat?” Help your child understand that the pencil was made this way on purpose. It was made so it would not roll off the roof or roll away in the middle of a project. Plus, it fits nicely on a tool belt and is more sturdy than a typical pencil. It is made with a purpose. So also is your child made with a specific purpose – to glorify God. Give your child the pencil to keep in his or her backpack, put in their desk, or in some way use as a reminder.
  • Make a list of specific scenarios and review some of those in conversation with your child. Here’s an example: “If your teacher asked you to sit quietly in class, what are some of the reasons you should obey him or her?” Then listen to the reasons. There may be several good reasons, but you want to especially emphasize that God expects you to obey authority so obeying your teacher brings honor or glory to God. You can quickly brainstorm many of these types of examples.
  • Emphasize that no matter how they have done in previous years, this is a new opportunity to honor God in this new school year.

The purpose of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We glorify God or honor Him when we are living according to His purpose. This has a specific look in everything we do. We must live obedient to whatever it is that God desires for us.

 

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