I recently listened to this talk (with notes) by Bruce Ware with the same title as his book, How to Bring Big Truths about God to the Young Hearts of our Children (H/T: JT).

I listened to it again because I found it so helpful (this is certainly not a talk just for children or parents – far from it!). One things that particularly struck me was that knowing the truth doesn’t necessarily lead to living the truth. I think I knew this but he brought out how we must distinguished between believing the truth of the truth and believing and trusting in the wisdom, the beauty, the glory and the goodness of the truth. There are so many areas one could apply this to.

He speaks of the progression of truth in this way:

• The mind’s understanding (knowing the truth) is necessary for the heart’s engagement with that truth (loving the truth). Knowing the truth provides the possibility and basis for loving the truth.
• The heart’s engagement with truth (loving the truth) is necessary for the hand’s activity in applying that truth (living the truth). Loving the truth provides the possibility and basis for living the truth.
• The hand’s applying the truth (living the truth) is what makes possible the transformation of others and our cultural environment (transformed by the truth).

The order is crucial:

Head -> Heart -> Hands -> Habitat

Knowing -> Loving -> Living -> Transforming

Check out the rest here though the notes don’t have the talk’s great illustrations!