Sharing stories of Jesus is a precious blessing. Through stories children—and adults—come to know the Savior in vivid, personal, and intimate ways. Sharing stories brings His divinity, his love, his sacrifice , and his doctrine to visible and emotive form they can remember, relate to, and love. Children sing their plea in this well-loved song:
Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear,
Things I would ask him to tell me if he were here.
Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,
Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.1
Hero and Protector
All of us remember the Savior as a hero protecting His followers. Sharing stories brings his heroism and protection to children. This verse of the song expresses the children’s faith.
Tell me, in accents of wonder, how rolled the sea,
Tossing the boat in a tempest on Galilee!
And how the Master, ready and kind,
Chided the billows and hushed the wind.
In the tempest story Jesus showed his divine powers and his love. He would have known that a tempest was coming, but he remained sleeping at the back of the boat. The passengers needed to show their faith by coming to Him. And when they did, He immediately rebuked the waves and the wind. He had the power to protect them and the mercy to do it. They needed to know this about Him, and so do children we are sharing stories with today.
Some accounts portray Jesus coming toward the boat walking on the sea, including Peter’s attempt to walk on the water. These accounts show his understanding of and love for his apostle. Eager for adventure, Peter obtained quick permission and stepped out of the boat. As long as His faith held, he walked. But when he looked down, he began to sink. He surrendered his pride and cried out “Lord, save me.” They returned to the ship together. Jesus showed no impatience or anger, just a little regret in the weakness of Peter’s faith.
Jesus has certainly lived in hero stories. He raised the widow of Nain’s young son and his follower Lazarus from the dead. He fed a crowd of 5,000 and on another occasion a multitude of 4,000 by increasing small quantities of bread and fish. He faced angry crowds attempting to kill him. He saved a woman at risk of being stoned for adultery (who became a devoted disciple) and accused religious leaders—real and serious sinners—to their faces. He endured incredible pain as He suffered and died for all. Children are in awe of Jesus as those who love them and love the Savior are sharing stories.
Stories in Love-light
Even more than hero-security, sharing stories must help children experience Jesus Christ’s love.
Oh, let me hear how the children stood round his knee.
I shall imagine his blessings resting on me;
Words full of kindness, deeds full of grace,
All in the love-light of Jesus’ face.
Strong Christian advocate C. S. Lewis wrote, “When Christ died, he died for you individually just as much as if you had been the only person in the world.”2 Children need to feel the love-light on themselves as individuals as you are sharing stories with them.
Sharing Stories From One World
We all enjoy the story of Jesus holding off the adults while He blessed the children. The disciples “rebuked” those who had brought their children for Jesus to “touch.” “Much displeased,” Jesus made His feelings very clear: “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” Jesus not only touched the children, He held them in His arms. Placing his hands on them, He gave them blessings (Mark 10:13-16).
Children felt His love and responded to it. He entered Jerusalem to loud hosannas from an enthusiastic crowd, waving palm branches and scattering leaves. Children went into the temple, crying out “Hosanna to the Son of David.” When temple keepers ordered Jesus to quiet the children, He responded, “Have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” Those faithful children kept up their perfect praise.
And Another
One of the most loving stories in scripture, or in any literature, was during Christ’s time with the Nephites, Lamanites, and other surviving “ites.” After an incredibly loving spiritual time, He asked for all who were “afflicted in any manner,” and He healed every one individually. All Christ’s healing stories are love stories.
Then He “commanded” them to bring the children, setting them together on the ground. Jesus “stood in the midst” of them and told the adults to kneel upon the ground. “He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.” Each child received her or his personal affection and blessing as if she or he had been the only one.
Weeping, He said unto the multitude, Behold your little ones.
They cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them.
Every child should be blessed by a loving storyteller sharing this story with personal testimony of Jesus Christ’s pure and perfect love. When we are sharing stories of His love, we are sharing testimonies of the Savior’s and the Father’s love for everyone.
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