Teachings About Joy in the Bible to Children
When children are learning about being joyful and the Bible's doctrines regarding joy, parents or Sunday school teachers need to give children the information in a way that children are able to understand. The methods of teaching children about joy vary based on religious beliefs and the group associated with the children, but there are similarities among different groups.
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Joy Bible Verses
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The term "joy" as it is used in the Bible is a term that describes happiness beyond the short term that runs deeper than the basic emotion. Teachers should give children examples in the Bible of joy to help them understand the word. For example, they might read Galatians 5: 22-23, which lists joy as one of the fruits of the spirit, or they might read Philippians 4:4, which tells readers to rejoice in the Lord.
Explain Joy
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Teachings to children about joy should explain what joy means after giving examples from the Bible. Children might have a challenge in understanding the terms of the Bible, but explaining what it means can help the children understand. Teachings should always tell children what they might not understand.
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Showing Children Joy
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Give children real-life examples and visuals of joyfulness, even in the hardest adversity. Children need to understand that joy goes further than happiness and exists even in the hard times. Visuals will vary but might include coloring pages, field trips or slide shows. Take care to keep the images age appropriate, but allow children to see that sometimes joy comes from the smallest reminder's of God's love. Use the book of Job as an example.
Asking Children Questions
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To ensure that children are following the lesson, ask questions both throughout the teaching and at the end of the teaching. Questions might include items such as "What is joy?" and "How can we be joyful?" Asking children to answer various questions about joyfulness promotes understanding and helps children think about the topic.
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References
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