The Fruits of the Spirit for Kids
Character Training for Our Children
Every time I mess up – say something I shouldn’t, think something I shouldn’t, lose my temper, or act just plain ugly – I’m reminded of this verse:
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5
Anything good in me isn’t me at all. Left to my own devices I’m just filthy rags. But, thankfully, God doesn’t intend for us to be left to our own devices. Galatians 5:22-23 gives us the well-known Fruits of the Spirit, the characteristics that will abide in us when we are in Him. I must communicate the importance of the fruits of the spirit for kids, too!
These qualities aren’t innate but are given only through the Spirit.
As parents, we must remember this same truth in regards to our children. I so often expect more from my children than what I’ve displayed myself. In addition to trying to hone these fruits in our own lives, we can use these as a parenting tool to encourage all the best qualities in our children! (And what a fantastic reminder for us, as well!) After all, is it not our desire to send out into the world perhaps the most amazing humans that have ever been?
It’s a very effective strategy to praise in your children what you want to see more of. What you water GROWS. I want to emphasize these characteristics in my kids so they will hopefully be ingrained in them forever!
I hung the fruits of the spirit for kids chart on the fridge for each of my boys, and they color in a spot when they show an example of one of the Fruits of the Spirit (6 spots for each fruit). It’s amazing how they’re starting to recognize these qualities in themselves and in one another (I let them point out when they’ve shown the characteristic OR when the other has done so, as well)! They actually make an intentional effort to display these fruits, and it brings such joy to my mama heart! Once they have all the spots colored in, they get to have/do/buy something special.
Feel free to use this FREE PRINTABLE and put it to use with your kiddos right away! I’d love to hear how the fruits of the spirit for kids printable works for your children!
Here’s the PDF! LOVE