Did you see the consistent theme in the verses about forgiveness in our last lesson? We’re called to forgive others because God has forgiven us. It’s all about the gospel and what Jesus has done for us!.
Assignment: Pray for God to continue teaching you as you study this important topic.
Then open up your notes from Day 27. The truths in these verses are some of God’s Words that are supposed to be on our hearts and that we are supposed to teach our children while we walk and sit, and when we lie down and rise up. Let’s take a few minutes to think about how to teach our children to forgive.
- Proverbs 19:11 says,“The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.” Memorize this verse with your children. Have it ready to recite and ready for the Holy Spirit to use when offenses and disagreements occur.
Help your children see that it’s a glory to overlook an offense. To act as if we didn’t notice an insult or offense against us takes much more strength of character than it does to angrily defend our “honor”.
Talk about Jesus and His longsuffering, as He was criticized, insulted, betrayed, beaten, and nailed to a cross. Surely we can patiently overlook the minor affronts we face in comparison!
- Help your children put their trust in a just and holy God. Romans 12:19 reminds us that He will ultimately repay all wrongs.
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21)
Instead of trying to get even — the natural response of our old sin nature — we can seek to overcome wrongs by doing good!
- Spend time with your children helping them think of practical ways to do good to those who wrong them. How can they do good when a sibling grabs a toy from them? How can they respond when unkind words are aimed their way? How can they do good when another child purposely hurts them?
Read Matthew Henry’s commentary on this passage, if you need help. (Look up Romans 12:19. Then click on “Commentaries” in the tools menu, go to Matthew Henry’s Commentary, and then scroll down until you see comments on verse 19 and beyond.)
- Review the glory of the gospel over and over with your children. What did Jesus do for us? What did He save us from? How much has He forgiven us? Colossians 3:13 says we must forgive as Jesus has forgiven us. It’s not optional.
… bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
If we truly believe that we have been forgiven for our sins — sins that would send us to eternal hell — we will forgive the wrongs that others commit against us. If we’re unwilling to forgive, we probably haven’t
- Show your children what mercy looks like. Luke 6:36 says, Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. God has called our children to show mercy because He has shown mercy to them. God has also called us to show mercy, because our Father has shown mercy to us.
Take opportunities to show godly mercy to your children. Correct them when necessary, in love, without harshness or belittling.
When a wrongdoing calls for correction, look for opportunities to step back, explaining that the offense deserves discipline, and then taking on that consequence yourself.
This takes wisdom and prayer. It’s not a call to continually protect our children from the consequences for their sins. But there is a place, at least a few times in every child’s life, when he’s going to learn a powerful lesson about forgiveness and mercy by being the recipient of his parents’ mercy.
Show your children what mercy looks like by readily forgiving others, overlooking offenses, and leaving justice in God’s hands. They will learn how to forgive others by experiencing God’s forgiveness and by watching you forgive others.
For your children:
Joseph is a perfect example of forgiveness! Do you think his parents ever had to deal with sibling rivalry, jealousy, cruelty, and resentment? Most of our children will never need to forgive their siblings of sins like the ones Joseph endured!
- Read an account of Joseph’s life with your children. Older children can probably track with the entire story from the Bible (Read Genesis 37-45 in several installments throughout the day). For younger children, read an accurate account from a Bible storybook, or pop some popcorn and watch this video.
- Talk about the glory of Joseph choosing to overlook and forgive the sins of his brothers. Why was he able to forgive his brothers in spite of all the suffering they caused him? Talk about his ability to see that God had been in control the whole time, and that God meant it all for good.
- Talk about ways that God can do good in our lives, even when others wrong us.