In a fragmented world, we seek a one-piece life, a seamless life, with no arbitrary divide between secular and sacred. We, His body, endeavor to function holistically: all is hallowed. God is the fabric of every moment. How might we, in the midst of family life, talk to our children everyday about the character, the majesty, the wonder of God, in everyday, common ways? (Deu. 6)
James S. Spiegel a professor of Philosophy at Taylor University and home educating father of four joins us today on the front porch swing to discuss how we might invite our children to meet God in their everyday lives. The author of Gum, Geckos, and God, Spiegel’s latest book “takes on the greater challenge of sharing God and the concepts of the Christian faith with his own children. In a book that is witty, warm, and profound, he explains complex issues of the Christian faith in terms that his children can understand and accept.”
Exploring such quirky, honest queries as “Can we hug God? Will geckos go to heaven? Was Jesus fun to be around? Does God know how many spiders there are in all the basements in the world?” Gum, Gekos and God (Zondervan) is a fresh journey into the heart of God, family, and the fundamentals of our faith.
James, throughout this book, I found how you “flipped” conversations with your children from a material topic to spiritual truths deeply compelling. It is exactly what Jesus models for us throughout the Gospels: how to look at a fig tree and move into a conversation about spiritual fruit.
Can you share more how individuals may take everyday conversations with their children, neighbors, family, and deepen the dialogue into God-truths?
How can we naturally flip conversations from the physical to the eternal, as you do so seamlessly within your family?
James S. Spiegel : Like any other skill, this takes practice. But some people are more inclined to see the moral-spiritual lessons in nature, and the key here is a high view of providence. The more strongly we believe in God’s active involvement in the world, the more alert we will be to how God speaks to us through natural events—from zoology to history to current events.
Through his agricultural metaphors, Jesus modeled a powerful method for seeing how moral-spiritual truths are reinforced all around us. And if this is true of seeds, weeds, wineskins, and birds, then perhaps literally everything in the world is packed with lessons about God’s ways and how we should live before him.
How might you envision parents exploring Christian doctrine with their children?
James S. Spiegel : I don’t think there is just one right or best way to do this. The only absolute, I think, is that parents should regularly talk to their kids about God and his truth. This can take many forms, whether formal or informal. My wife and I have learned that it is essential to always be ready for that question at the odd time. A kid’s curiosity is no respecter of convenience.
So as the Apostle Peter says, we need to always be prepared to give an answer for those who question us about our faith. This is especially true for parents!
For what readership or audience did you primarily write your book, Gum, Geckos and God–children, families, seekers?
James S. Spiegel : I wrote the book for anyone who wants to get a better understanding of the basic teachings of Christian theology and the good reasons for these beliefs. Of course, parents will be doubly interested because they will be able to connect with the experience of dealing with their kids’ questions about God. There is a free discussion guide available at our website. And I also tried to write it so as to help those new to the faith to better grasp basic Christian doctrines, while long-time Christians would be deepened in their theological understanding.
A humble pleasure to listen and learn with you today, James. We are planning to read Gum, Geckos and God as a family read-aloud during our meal-times as the text engages curious young folks in a personal, memorable way, while making deep Biblical truths easily accessible.
Scroll down here to read a sample of Gum, Geckos and God
You may read other interviews with James by checking out the Zondervan blog.
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