She mentioned how she and her siblings would sit down as her parents read them the Bible. No matter what section of the Bible it was, they read the Bible to the children verse by verse with little or no commentary on what was written.

That was a noble effort to help children learn the Scriptures. But how effective was it? That's the question. Our children need to be taught to love the Scriptures, for they contain God's truth and lead us to a godly life and ultimately to His wonderful Kingdom.

As you know, children's attention span is different from that of adults. Different methods are needed to teach them. Here are some tips to assist you in helping your children to love the Bible:

Begin by regularly studying the Bible yourselves. Develop a passion for God's Word and the characters in it. The principles in the Book are timeless and lead us to understand how to practice godliness in a world that does not look to the Bible as its standard. When our children see us loving God's Word, it makes it easier for them to look at the Bible with honor and respect.

Teach children the basic principles of God's law. Relate the commandments to them in such a way that the law will be easy for them to understand. For instance, what is coveting? I might teach my young daughters by saying, "I really want that doll that your are holding. I really, really want it, but it belongs to you and not to me." I wouldn't just read, "Thou shall not covet." Use your creativity, but be true to the Word.

When relating stories of biblical heroes, I recommend that you make the stories come alive by using illustrations or some of their own toys to help cement the stories in their minds. Some of the famous characters that my children came to love were Joseph, Moses, David, Abraham, Jacob and Esau, and Jesus Christ. They would ask me to tell those stories often and loved to learn of their lives.

Finally, don't be afraid to ask them questions after you have taught them. Make it a fun time as you query them to see how much they remember of the lessons or stories.

Think about your children and ask yourself, do they really love the Bible? Then determine to do everything in your power and with God's assistance to help them understand and want to live by the Word of God. UN