Published 5/26/19
101 Ways to Strengthen the Parent‐Child Connection
Devotions, Tips, and Activities
By Michael and Tiffany Ross
"This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares."
Family Quest
Turn your living room into a courtroom, and take turns sitting on the “judge’s seat.” This activity involves four roles: (1) defendant—the person accused of breaking “family law”; (2) prosecuting attorney—the person who reads a list of charges against the defendant and argues for a “guilty” verdict; (3) advocate—the person who defends the accused and argues for a “not guilty” verdict; and (4) judge—the person who weighs the evidence and decides if the defendant is guilty or not guilty of breaking family law. Before the trial begins, write out several lists of wacky charges—for example, “The accused belches loudly during dinner, chases the cat, bugs their siblings, combs their hair to the left instead of to the right, rewears smelly socks”—and place the lists in a large bowl. Once you’ve assigned the parts and taken your positions, instruct the prosecuting attorney to randomly pull out a list of charges and begin the courtroom drama. Ham it up, be creative, ad-lib, even use crazy accents and voices with each part you play. Once everyone has had a chance to be the judge, open your Bible and read these verses: Romans 2:16; Romans 8:1–4; & Ephesians 1:7.
Talk It Out
· During our crazy trial, who decided the right and wrong way of acting or looking? Was it fair?
· The Bible tells us that we are all guilty of breaking the law—God’s law—and that we will have our day in court. We will all stand before the ultimate Judge. Yet through Jesus, we are found “not guilty” and are completely forgiven. How does this make you feel?
· How are we set free through Jesus? (Hint: Find the answer in Romans 8:1–4.)
· How can we be confident of our forgiveness? (Hint: Find the answer in Ephesians 1:7.)
Parent-Child Connection
Teach three important concepts: (1) We must accept God’s forgiveness. When we’ve blown it in some way, we must go to the Lord in prayer, confess our sin, ask for forgiveness, and press ahead with the power of the Lord. (2) We must learn from our mistakes. It’s every Christian’s responsibility to practice avoiding the traps that cause him or her to stumble. (3) We must submit to God’s instructions. Keep in mind that God isn’t finished with us; the paint is still wet and our faith is still under construction. Growing up in the Lord is a lifetime process. We’d be wise to listen to His instructions and do our best to obey them.
Talk to God
As you pray, encourage your child to (1) thank Jesus for His fairness and love and (2) ask the Lord to help him always remember that God is the final judge of everything.
© 2015 by Back to the Bible