Teaching Children to Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude
Cultivating Gratitude in Children
Teaching children to cultivate a heart of gratitude is rooted in biblical instruction and has been a concern of Christian parents and educators throughout history. The Bible emphasizes the importance of gratitude, with passages like Psalms 90:12 urging parents to "Teach us so to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" [2].
Parents are encouraged to model and teach gratitude to their children. According to Torrey's Topical Textbook, parents' duties to their children include instructing them in God's word and telling them of God's judgments and miraculous works [1]. This instruction is not limited to mere knowledge but is aimed at shaping their children's hearts. Matthew Henry notes that parents should "train up children" in the way they should go, keeping them under discipline to prepare them for their future roles [5].
The biblical basis for teaching gratitude is also seen in the Old Testament. Adam Clarke comments on Leviticus 23:43, highlighting God's intention to "excite and maintain in them a spirit of gratitude and obedience" through the institution of certain feasts [3]. This practice of remembering God's mercies is a key aspect of cultivating gratitude.
In the New Testament, the importance of gratitude is reinforced. John Gill's commentary on 2 Corinthians 9:15 emphasizes the significance of thanking God for His unspeakable gift, which includes the grace to give and receive [4]. This spirit of gratitude is not limited to adults; children are also encouraged to be thankful.
Practically, parents can cultivate gratitude in their children by setting a good example, instructing them in the ways of God, and encouraging them to reflect on God's mercies. Matthew Henry's commentary on Proverbs 22:6 underscores the importance of training children in the way they should go, with the expectation that they will not depart from it when they are older [5]. By doing so, parents can help their children develop a heart of gratitude that is grounded in a deep understanding of God's love and providence.
The cultivation of gratitude in children is thus a multifaceted endeavor that involves parental example, instruction, and the intentional creation of practices that foster thankfulness. As children grow in their understanding of God's goodness, they are more likely to develop a lifelong habit of gratitude.
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Parents — Receive their children from God -- Ge 33:5; 1Sa 1:27; Ps 127:3. Their duty to their children is To love them. -- Tit 2:4. To bring them to Christ. -- Mt 19:13,14. To train them up for God. -- Pr 22:6; Eph 6:4. To instruct them in God's word. -- De 4:9; 11:19; Isa 38:19. To tell them of God's judgments. -- Joe 1:3. To tell them of the miraculous works of God. -- Ex 10:2; Ps 78:4. To command them to obey God. -- De 32:46; 1Ch 28:9. To bless them. -- Ge 48:15; Heb 11:20. To pity them. -- Ps 103:13. To provide for them. -- Job 42:15; 2Co 12:14; 1Ti 5:8. To rule”
- Psalms “Psalms 90:12 (Geneva1599) — Teach vs so to nomber our dayes, that we may apply our heartes vnto wisdome.”
- Leviticus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Leviticus 23:43: That your generations may know, etc. - By the institution of this feast God had two great objects in view: 1. To perpetuate the wonderful display of his providence and grace in bringing them out of Egypt, and in preserving them in the wilderness. 2. To excite and maintain in them a spirit of gratitude and obedience, by leading them to consider deeply the greatness of the favors which they had received from his most merciful hands. Signal displays of the mercy, kindness, and providential care of God should be particularly remembered. When we recollect that we des”
- 2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 9:15: Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Meaning either the goodness of God, both to the giver and receiver; for that the one gave so liberally, and the other received so largely, was from the grace of God, who so powerfully inclines the hearts of his children to do good, and offer so willingly of what he has given them, and who so wonderfully provides for the supply of the poor and needy; or else that exceeding grace of God which was so eminently, largely, and freely bestowed on the Corinthians in their effectual calling; or, as some think, Christ himself,”
- Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 22:6: Here is, 1. A great duty enjoined, particularly to those that are the parents and instructors of children, in order to the propagating of wisdom, that it may not die with them: Train up children in that age of vanity, to keep them from the sins and snares of it, in that learning age, to prepare them for what they are designed for. Catechise them; initiate them; keep them under discipline. Train them as soldiers, who are taught to handle their arms, keep rank, and observe the word of command. Train them up, not in the way they would go (the bias of their corrupt ”