During Music Time (or Spot or whatever you'd like to call it) in Relief Society I talked with the sisters about this hymn.

I asked my daughter Hazel who is now five years old, "how does this song make you feel?"
She said, jumping, "HAPPY!"
I confirmed, smiling, "It makes you feel happy?"
"Yes, and it makes me feel good and like Jesus is my Savior."

How positive is that?
Children learn best through music and movement, and role playing - getting actively involved in whatever it is they are doing or learning. Children's hymns plays a vital role in helping children learn about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This hymn is the most well known children's hymn. Everyone at least knows the first verse and if not that, the chorus.
The words are as follows:

1. I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.

[Chorus]
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday.

2. I am a child of God,
And so my needs are great;
Help me to understand his words
Before it grows too late.

3. I am a child of God.
Rich blessings are in store;
If I but learn to do his will
I’ll live with him once more.

So who's talking?
...
this is me letting you think about it first before I give you the answer.
...
The child.

Who is the child talking to?
...
ponder ponder.
...
Their Parents.

Now, here's the question. Is it true?
Look at the words, "has given me an earthly home, with parents kind and dear."
Was that true for you? And if not, is true for you children? Are you kind and dear?
How sad would it be for a child to sing this song, come upon these words and think, "but not me, I don't, mine are always yelling at me, and mean to me?"

When you receive one message at Church and then another message at home, it causes a cognitive dissonance. A confusion. Things are all nice and happy sounding at Church but the reality tells you something different. It is very important for the messages at Church and the messages at home to be the same. You can not create a two strand braid without both strands.

Is this song true for your children? Are you a parent who is kind and dear? And if not, what are you going to do about it? I have known people who hated this song because it was not true for them, and they didn't start getting over it until the age of 25 or my age (29) and one gal was nearly old enough to be my mother before she got over that this song effectively being a lie for her.

So I ask again, is this hymn true for your children? Is it true?

It is very important for these hymns to be true for your children.

And I say these things, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Tags: Music Hymns

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