This afternoon I took Tim, Ben and Ezra shopping for birthday presents for Abby (because, if she hasn't told you yet, she will be 11 tomorrow).
As we were leaving the shopping centre Ben asked if Jesus and God are the same person, or is Jesus God's son. It's actually a very difficult question to answer, especially since Ben won't accept a simple, "yes, both of those statements are correct". I ended up referring him on to Simon but I'm not sure whether he has it figured out yet or not.
Ben has a habit of coming out with difficult questions and since doing some study, I am no longer comfortable to offer the simple, childish (and often theologically incorrect) answers that grown-ups generally give to children. Each of my children have demonstrated the ability to understand the more complex answers and Ben in particular often asks questions that are way out of my depth. Last week Ben accused me of not answering his questions often enough. He thinks I tell him to "ask daddy" or "ask your Sunday School teacher" too often. (Sorry Susan, last year David was his Sunday School teacher.)
I think my kids are pretty normal and not little geniuses who ask especially bizarre and difficult questions. So I have to assume that other kids ask these kind of questions also and I am left wondering how other parents deal with them.
How would you answer a seven year old who wants to know how Jesus can be both God and God's son at the same time?
3 comments:
I don't know how you answer that - just when I think I understand it myself I realise that I don't. If you find an answer pls pass it on!
I suppose in our world you can't be your own son. But God made our world and the rules that say what can be and what can't be. Only God doesn't have to follow the rules of our world any more than we have to follow the rules of a board game we make. He can be two people, three, his own son, whatever, in his world.
Isn't it funny how kids, who struggle to imagine how the world existed before they were born, can really think outside the square?!
Oo, i like your view point, Tam. I'll have to remember that.
I remember being quite confused with that same thought when I was younger. I think I've just accepted it as something I don't understand. Ben sure is a little intellectual thinker. Love it.
Perhaps it's good to tell Ben you're not sure or at least not sure how to answer and tell him it's good to ask different people because people think differently and he can read his bible and ask God and see if in all that he can come to a conclusion himself. Some things there are no definite answers for and we have to decide what we are going to believe or how we're going to let it sit.
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