General
Love: It is a simple word that has become a source of cultural confusion in recent years. Ongoing attempts to redefine what love is, what it looks like, and even what it is not, have diminished this beautiful, sacrificial action to a fleeting emotion that fluctuates with the ever-changing winds of our feelings.
As parents, we carry the responsibility of teaching our children the biblical definition of love and the central role it plays in our salvation. In fact, it is the very reason Jesus went to the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. The task of teaching this definition to our children cannot be approached casually; it requires intentionality and consistency.
To help our children understand the true meaning of love, we must first understand how Jesus Himself loved. In John 15:13, Jesus paints a clear picture of love in its purest form when He tells His disciples, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The love Jesus describes here is a sacrificial choice, given intentionally and without hesitation, even when it comes at great personal cost.
This is a profound truth for children to grasp. While older children may be able to engage with this idea on a deeper level, the most effective way parents can teach children how to love like Jesus – regardless of the child’s age – is through example. Children are far more likely to imitate what they observe than to do what they are told. When parents consistently model respect within marriage or external relationships, extend grace to those with whom they disagree, and practice humility through repentance and forgiveness, the Christlike love children hear about becomes tangible and more easily understood.
Everyday moments also provide powerful opportunities to teach children about love. Conflict between siblings, for example, can become a practical lesson in sacrificial love within a family. Likewise, guiding children to consider another person’s perspective (without compromising biblical values) during disagreements with friends, siblings, or classmates helps connect Jesus’ definition of love to real-life situations while cultivating empathy and compassion.
Helping children show kindness through encouraging small, unseen acts of generosity is another great way to reinforce this lesson. Teaching children to respond to needs with compassion instead of judgement, talking through the idea that love does not always “feel” easy, and serving others as a family all contribute to a deeper understanding of Christlike love. As children begin to see serving as a response to God’s love towards them, not an obligation, their capacity for understanding the sacrificial love Jesus both described and demonstrated continues to grow.
Discipling children in their understanding of godly, biblical love is a long-term investment – it is not something that happens overnight or something that is taught passively. Parents must remain faithful and consistent in reinforcing Jesus’ definition of love through both words and actions. In doing so, they will often discover that God is also refining their own understanding of love – shaping the way they engage with their families, friends, and people in their communities – and allowing Christlike love to be lived out through them in visible and transformative ways.
Loving Like Jesus
Love is often confused with emotion, but the Bible defines it as a sacrificial, intentional choice shown most clearly through Jesus. Parents teach this kind of love best by living it out daily—through grace, forgiveness, humility, and service. As children see Christlike love modeled in real situations, their understanding grows and transforms both their faith and the family.
As parents, we carry the responsibility of teaching our children the biblical definition of love and the central role it plays in our salvation. In fact, it is the very reason Jesus went to the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. The task of teaching this definition to our children cannot be approached casually; it requires intentionality and consistency.
To help our children understand the true meaning of love, we must first understand how Jesus Himself loved. In John 15:13, Jesus paints a clear picture of love in its purest form when He tells His disciples, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The love Jesus describes here is a sacrificial choice, given intentionally and without hesitation, even when it comes at great personal cost.
This is a profound truth for children to grasp. While older children may be able to engage with this idea on a deeper level, the most effective way parents can teach children how to love like Jesus – regardless of the child’s age – is through example. Children are far more likely to imitate what they observe than to do what they are told. When parents consistently model respect within marriage or external relationships, extend grace to those with whom they disagree, and practice humility through repentance and forgiveness, the Christlike love children hear about becomes tangible and more easily understood.
Everyday moments also provide powerful opportunities to teach children about love. Conflict between siblings, for example, can become a practical lesson in sacrificial love within a family. Likewise, guiding children to consider another person’s perspective (without compromising biblical values) during disagreements with friends, siblings, or classmates helps connect Jesus’ definition of love to real-life situations while cultivating empathy and compassion.
Helping children show kindness through encouraging small, unseen acts of generosity is another great way to reinforce this lesson. Teaching children to respond to needs with compassion instead of judgement, talking through the idea that love does not always “feel” easy, and serving others as a family all contribute to a deeper understanding of Christlike love. As children begin to see serving as a response to God’s love towards them, not an obligation, their capacity for understanding the sacrificial love Jesus both described and demonstrated continues to grow.
Discipling children in their understanding of godly, biblical love is a long-term investment – it is not something that happens overnight or something that is taught passively. Parents must remain faithful and consistent in reinforcing Jesus’ definition of love through both words and actions. In doing so, they will often discover that God is also refining their own understanding of love – shaping the way they engage with their families, friends, and people in their communities – and allowing Christlike love to be lived out through them in visible and transformative ways.
