Easter is a time that we gather with family and for those of us who follow Jesus, it is a special time to remember all that He did for us.
In my family, since my father passed away, it generally falls to me to prayer before meals. This year, my young great nieces were given the opportunity to pray before the meal. After they were done, someone said, now it is time for the official prayer (or something similar).
I surprised them by letting them know that the prayers that the young girls prayed were sufficient. That leads me to question, why don;t we always think that the prayers of a child are sufficient?
Here are a few reasons as to why I said that the prayer of a child was sufficient for our Easter dinner:
- It showed the children that what they did was important.
- It showed that a young child can speak to God, not just adults.
- It helps to foster the child’s faith.
If we prohibit children from praying when they are young, or unintentionally indicate that their prayer was not “real”; then we can hinder their young faith and how they perceive God.
The youngest was honored to have been the one to say the blessing, and I am sure that they will seek future opportunities to pray as well.
Have you ever allowed a young child to say the blessing over a family meal?
