The Greatest Story Ever Told

     Kids love stories.  A regular request from our grandkids is, “Tell us a story about when daddy was a little boy!”  I usually dig for a good one and we all have a good laugh.   It’s no wonder that stories have been the preferred method of teaching for millennia.  The greatest story in history is that which took place in Jerusalem over the span of a few days 1,990 years ago.  The stories that your children (grandchildren) will be hearing on Sundays through April will continue to be about Jesus but they will zoom into the events of Easter.  Supported by the amazing text of Philippians 2.  
   I would encourage you to lean into the love of story.  Read some part of the easter story and get your child to tell it back to you in their own words.  Ask reflective questions that probe their take on the story.  What happened?  Who is your favourite character in this story?  What stands out to you?   Then begin to move it to them with reflective questions.  “If you were in this story what would you be doing?”   “Which character would you be most like?”  You want to move from observation of facts to opinions to feelings.  It’s not always an easy path and it will bounce around greatly (especially the younger they are).   This is a great place to practice the drilling down, clarifying question:  “and what else? and what else?  and what else?”
    Don’t look too hard for the ‘right’ answer either.  The story and the Spirit will do the work that provides the greatest fruit so don’t push too hard to make it happen yourself.  The joy of a good story is that it sits with us so much longer.  Rarely do people remember a good point they heard in a sermon but they remember stories.  Listen to a 4 year old (like I often do ) and you’ll hear them talk about how Jesus rode on a donkey or Jonah got swallowed up by a big fish, but they won’t so easily quote a teaching (ie: “blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”)   The power of the story sitting with them is that the Holy Spirit can bring it back to their remembrance at the appropriate moment.
    One last encouragement for you:  be sure to include yourself in the process.  Sometimes sharing your answer first to prime the pump and sometimes feeding off of their response with something similar of your own.  And, unless they are being disrespectful, validate every response with appreciation.
    Easter is the greatest story ever told.  Lets keep it front and center in our kids this month and wonder in it again ourselves afresh.