When your children ask you questions, that is a good thing. You probably have surmised that from this current series of posts. What you may not have concluded yet is that questions should be actively encouraged. This attitude is analogous to being a good hunter. A good hunter must go to where he thinks his game might be, but he must also get everything ready so that his meal will come to him. By the same token, walking up to your teenager and saying, “Would you like to ask me a really important and intimate question about something you’re struggling with?” will not yield much of a response. The opportunity to respond to significant question begins years in advance. Hunters know that the elusive buck they have been tracking for years will not suddenly show up one day and ask how long you would like him to stand still so you can take aim and fire.
It takes the intelligence of a heart devoted to searching for wisdom to elicit life-changing questions from children. Note the ESV translation of Proverbs 18:15:
An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
A faithful parent with an intelligent heart will spend years preparing the right environment so that his son or daughter will ask a huge question at the right time. Please consider how you can begin preparing to hear significant questions as you raise your children. How can you prepare as you interact with your toddlers and with your young school age children?
More on this in the future posts.