Last Friday, we started talking about faith in children’s literature. We looked at allegory where the plot or characters of the story parallel a story in the Bible. This week, we’re delving into a related-but-different method: writing Biblical values into children’s literature.
Method 2: Biblical Values in Children’s Literature
And no, I’m not talking about the media’s definition of Christian values. True Christian values supersede political affiliations. As such, the Bible teaches us how to relate to each other and the world. We can reflect those concepts in the books we write for children without quoting Scripture to reach a wider audience. For example, we can teach the Good Samaritan’s compassion for his neighbor by telling a story of friendship between two children with very different backgrounds. This spreads God’s love and compassion without causing a fight between religious affiliations. And honestly, I think our world could use a little more compassion and peace.
While including Biblical values in “secular” stories sounds like allegory, there is one key difference. Allegory loosely follows the plot of the original story and parallels the new characters with Bible characters. In contrast, writing stories with Biblical values relates to theme. The characters and plot may be very different from any story in the Bible. However, the lesson the new characters learn can be found in the Bible.
Reading books while looking for the Biblical truth hidden in them is an eye-opening, awesome experience. It does, however, take effort, which means that non-believers won’t instantly convert to Christianity when they read your book. So, be aware you are writing for a different audience than your church’s kids’ ministry. This method is more about planting seeds than outright evangelism.
What do you think of basing books on Biblical values instead of addressing faith outright? Let me know in the comments! Stayed tuned next week as we wrap up this series with our last method!