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Swimming would be safer in a world where everyone knows God’s love, says Dexter, 10: “People wouldn’t make head-first dives onto other people in the swimming pool.”
Ouch! Dodging divers may be good practice for a future activity, Dexter — dodging drivers during rush hour.
“People would keep their mouth shut,” says Blair. “They would help all the time.” Well said, Blair. Thousands of years ago, King Solomon wrote: “Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent.”
“The world would be different because everyone would be nice to each other, and we wouldn’t need a newspaper,” says a fourth grader who chose to remain anonymous.
If people demanded more good news in their newspapers, editors would respond, or else newspapers would go out of business. What would the newspaper look like if most readers took the advice of the Apostle Paul to focus on whatever things are of good report (Philippians 4:8)?
“If everyone knew the love of God, there would be no violence,” says Molly, 9. “Everyone would be happy. There would be no wars, and we would have peace. It’s pretty bad we have to hire people to stop crime, and they risk their lives.”
In a world transformed by God’s love, streets would be safe, says Caroline, 10: “Little kids would be able to go outside after dark because there would be no drunk people out roaming the streets. We wouldn’t hear such bad stories every day on the news.”
The Bible uses an idyllic picture of a lion lying down with a lamb to describe the peace that will come when the knowledge of the Messiah fills the earth. In modern language, we might describe it as a time when inner city children play outside after dark with no fear of harm.
“Everyone would know what Christ did for us,” says Harrison, 10. “There would be no more need for jails.”
Tom Tarrants was once a member of the Ku Klux Klan and on the FBI’s most wanted list for bombing Jewish synagogues. His heart was filled with hate. While in jail, he started reading the Bible.
“The light came on,” said Tarrants. “I found myself knowing I needed the grace of God and the forgiveness of my sins. For the first time, what Jesus did on the cross became really precious and personally important to me.”
When I interviewed Tarrants in 1991, he was serving as co-pastor of an interracial church. He also said: “I’m far more radical now than I ever was as a KKK member. My radicalism is a reckless abandonment to Jesus Christ, obedience to Him and a lifestyle of love for everyone, no matter what their color.”
Tarrants had a heart transplant. A heart filled with God’s love replaced his hate-filled heart. A transformed world begins with knowing you’re loved.
“I know that God loves me like He loves everyone else,” says Andrew, 9. “We should treat God’s creations well. He died for us. So be nice to His creations.”
Think about this: If you want to change the world, Stuart, 11, has a plan: “If I show love, it will affect the world. If everyone in the world had God’s love, the world would be perfect.”
Memorize this truth: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God” (I John 4:7).
Ask this question: How is God’s love changing your world?
Kids Talk About God is designed for families to study the Bible together. Research shows that parents who study the Bible with their children give their character, faith and spiritual life a powerful boost. To receive Kids Talk About God three times a week in a free, email subscription, visit www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org/email.
