Teaching Our Children About Real Heroes

I am the mother to nine children. I love them to pieces and want to make sure that they are on the right track in their lives, especially spiritually.

Of those nine children there are five sons. They are so fun to be with and sometimes just drive me plain crazy. I wouldn't trade it for the world!

And with children come an interest in things like:

• superheroes
• sports stars 
• movie celebrities
• music artists

Today these types of "heroes" are fun and are greatly admired by the media but we always want our children to be able to discern the difference between true heroes and those people that are just popular in our culture that tend blur the lines of what true heroism is. 

I recently bought my son a faith devotional that highlighted the faith journey of some popular football players because he loves sports. As he looked through it he shared with me that there were a few that were recently involved in scandal, divorce, and abuse. I had no idea and it was a sad thing to see these people being highlighted in this book at the time of publication but somehow ended up on the wrong track. My son was sad about it too but it was an opportunity for me to share how all people are sinners and need Jesus no matter how famous they are. 

And that is why we are sharing a few helpful tips to help you navigate your children in it all--they need all the help they can get!

HOW TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT REAL HEROES

1. Teach children to look at the inside and not the outside of a person. Our culture puts great emphasis on looks, money, status, etc. But what you need to teach children to look for is character, integrity and godliness. 

"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

2. Good heroes are not proud and boastful. In fact, many good heroes are humble, teachable and wise. These are great traits to seek after and point our children towards. 

Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-4

3. Don't let admiring someone become an idol. When children admire someone they want to become like them and can emulate poor behavior that they see. We need to discuss these things with our children, point them out, and call it for what it is. 

"You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." Exodus 20:3-4

4. Choose heroes wisely. Point your children to great people in the present, leaders of the past, Bible heroes and missionaries. Talk about what makes these people heroes even though they may have been imperfect.  

"Discretion will guard you,
         Understanding will watch over you,

To deliver you from the way of evil,
         From the man who speaks perverse things;

From those who leave the paths of uprightness
         To walk in the ways of darkness;

Who delight in doing evil
         And rejoice in the perversity of evil;

Whose paths are crooked,
         And who are devious in their ways."

Proverbs 2:11-15

5. Ungodly people should not be admired or imitated. If our children have discernment in this area they are less likely to imitate people. Again, we need to teach them what to look for and use the Bible as our compass. 

"The wicked are not so,
         But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
         Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
         But the way of the wicked will perish."

Psalm 1:4-6

6. Point them to the true hero--Jesus Christ. He is our King and worthy to be praised. In all things we always need to point to Him so that our children know who to glorify and  praise !

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps."

1 Peter 2:21

Be sure to always start a discussion about good character qualities in a person so that your children know what to look for and can keep a good perspective on this topic. Remind them always that all people are sinners and need a Savior!

I hope these points are a blessing to teaching your children and pointing them toward godly men and women who will strengthen them in their walk with God. 

What helpful tips would you add?