Deism

Your kids may hear people say that God just wants everyone to be happy or that all good people go to heaven. They may believe God exists but not think He has much to do with their lives. As you talk about God at home, listen for these ideas. Kids can pick them up without realizing they are different from what the Bible teaches.

In this week’s Brite lesson, kids learn about Peter healing a man who couldn’t walk. God changed this man’s life, and He still changes lives today. God cares about what happens to us. He wants us to know Him and trust Him. He knows that what is good for us may not always be what makes us happy at the moment.

Listen for what your kid thinks about God. If they say something like “God just wants me to be happy,” ask why they think that and actively listen to them. Talk about how something we want may not be good for us and how God knows what is best. Share ways God has worked in your own life. Help your kid know they can talk to Him about things happening at school, with friends or at home. God is involved in our everyday lives, and we can trust Him.

Here’s how we discussed this topic and how you can discuss it at home: 

Discuss: Does God care about what happens in people’s lives? How do you know?

Discuss: How would you respond if someone said God exists but He doesn’t care about people?

Discuss: What does God have to say about that?

Say: You may have heard people say that if God exists, He doesn’t really care about people. Or maybe you’ve heard God called the “big guy upstairs” or something along those lines. Some people believe that God created everything but isn’t closely connected to His people. They think He doesn’t care what we do as long as we are happy and as long as you’re good you’ll go to heaven. God is way more involved than that. God loves us very much. Psalm 139:2 says: You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You discern my thoughts from afar. God is fully aware and involved in everything in our world. He cares about the choices we make because He knows how life works best. He knows sin separates us from Him, and He wants to be in a relationship with us.