KIDS TALK ABOUT GOD
Why is God full of truthfulness?
By Carey Kinsolving and friends
“God is full of truthfulness because He reads the Bible a lot,” says Angela, 8.
King David wrote in the Psalms that the Lord has magnified his Word above his own name. Who’s to say the Lord doesn’t read it as well?
Corrin has a little different perspective: “God is the writer of the Bible, which is a true book.”
Erin, 6, has the authoritative word: “I know God is truthful because that is what Mom read right out of the Bible.”
After Jesus fasted for 40 days, Satan tempted him three times. In every temptation, Jesus said, “It is written,” as he quoted the Bible.
Of course, the devil quoted the Bible as well, but he distorts it for his own purpose. Just because people quote the Bible doesn’t mean they’re telling the truth.
“God is so full of truth that if we were as full of air as He is full of truth, we’d pop!” says Kaci, 9.
The Apostle John saw fullness, truth and the Word in Jesus Christ. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
Mark Twain once wrote, “It was ever thus, all through my life: whenever I have diverged from the custom and principle and uttered a truth, the rule has been that the hearer hadn’t strength of mind enough to believe it.”
Jesus often felt the same way. He departed from the religious customs of his day and met resistance. He said some people had ears that didn’t hear and eyes that didn’t see.
“God is full of truthfulness because if we had no God, then we would have no truth,” says Madeline, 10. “If you get to know God, then you would be full of truth.”
In our world where truth is supposedly relative, Madeline has made an emphatic statement similar to what author Norman Geisler makes when he debates atheists. He usually begins by asking, “How would you know that the Holocaust is ultimately wrong unless you knew what was ultimately right?”
If all truth is relative, then the very assertion of truth’s relativity is contradictory because it also is a relative statement. Without an absolute standard for right, all moral judgments are merely personal opinions, customs or traditions.
Next time it rains, look for the multicolored arch in the sky as a sign that God is true to his word, says Steven, 12: “God is truthful because he made a covenant to Noah not to flood the Earth again.”
Olivia, 7, has a theory about God’s truthfulness. “If God will be true to us, then maybe He thinks we will be true to others.”
Yes, that’s exactly the way God wants us to act. Be truthful, but graceful. Remember that Jesus was “full of grace and truth.” The Apostle Paul admonished his readers to “speak the truth in love.”
Jesus boldly declared: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He also came as a humble servant who washed the feet of his disciples on the night before he gave his life as a sacrifice for all.
“God is full of truthfulness because he wants us to trust in Him,” concludes Ryan, 12.
Think about this: Because God is truthful to us, we should be truthful to him and others.
Memorize this truth: John 1:14 quoted in this column.
Ask this question: Have I been truthful to God and others?
“Kids Talk About God” is written and distributed by Carey Kinsolving. To access free, online “Kids Color Me Bible” books, “Mission Explorers” videos, a new children’s musical, and all columns in a Bible Lesson Archive, visit www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org. To read journey-of-faith feature stories written by Carey Kinsolving, visit www.FaithProfiles.org.
