When My Boy Took a Leap of Faith

Helping Your Kids Learn to Trust God

Early in my parenting, I read a magazine article about a celebrity’s story of how he became so successful. He highlighted one turning point in his life, that has affected him ever since.

When he was a boy, his father set him on the kitchen table. He told his boy to jump into his arms. This celebrity remembers being nervous, and how his father moved closer to encourage him to jump. He gathered his courage and made a great leap off the table. His father quickly stepped aside causing his son to hit the floor. His dad was supposedly teaching him the lesson not to trust anyone, not even your father. The celebrity cited this story as one of the reasons for his success in life.

This gave me the idea to tell my toddler, Michael, to jump off the table into my arms. He was a bit hesitant, but instead of moving closer, I moved back one more step away. He was really nervous now. But I promised I would catch him. He backed up on the tabletop to get a running start, and jumped as far as he could—right into my waiting arms. I assured him I was there for him, but that God, who is our heavenly father, is always there for us. He can be trusted completely.

Take a few moments to think about this subject:

What life messages are you giving your children?

Do you keep your word when you say you will do something?

Are you showing that you trust your Heavenly Father in your life?

How can you communicate trusting God to your children?

And now that I have 13 grandchilden, I am asking myself: “How can I help my grandkids learn to trust God?”

Proverbs 3:5a "Trust in the Lord with all your heart..."

Isaiah 26:4a "Trust in the Lord forever..."