8 Bible Stories to Teach Your Child About Forgiveness

You may not realize it, but your kids pick up on many of the things you do, including how you speak to people and if you forgive those who wrong you. One of the most important lessons you can teach your kids is how to forgive people who do things that hurt them. Forgiveness is important. When you let go of your anger, you can feel better because you aren't harboring those negative feelings. If you really want to learn about the power of forgiveness, read the Bible. The pages hold many incredible stories that can be helpful in teaching your child about forgiveness.

There are stories about how Jesus Christ died on the cross for all sins, even the sins of the very people who crucified him. There are also important lessons that Jesus taught his disciples about forgiveness. You'll also see stories about how other people in the Old and New Testaments forgave each other, and it's very inspiring. Use these stories to teach your kids about forgiveness.

The most powerful lesson of the Bible is about Jesus' crucifixion on the cross. Jesus took on the sins of the world so that we could have eternal life. He also showed an incredible sign of forgiveness while he was on the cross because he asked God to forgive the very people who were crucifying him. While he hung here in incredible pain, he said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Today, anyone who believes that Jesus died on the cross for their sins and is born again will guarantee their spot in Heaven. When you teach your child about forgiveness, emphasize the point that if Jesus can forgive those who put him through unimaginable pain, then your kids can forgive friends who do lesser things. Remind them that forgiveness is more than just an act. It's a state of mind.

While anyone else's story of forgiveness is always going to be second to what Jesus Christ did for the world, Joseph also has an incredible story. Jacob's father loved him and seemed to put him above his other brothers. They didn't like the special treatment he received, so they betrayed him and sold him into slavery. Years later, after God blessed him and stayed by his side, Joseph became one of the most powerful men in Egypt. During that time, a famine hit the land and there wasn't enough food to go around. Joseph was put in charge of the food supply. When his brothers came to him asking for food, he could have said no and took revenge. Instead, he chose to forgive his brothers, and he provided the food they needed to survive. The lesson for your kids here is that it's not worth it to hold a grudge. Instead, it feels much better to forgive those who wrong us. It's cleansing for the soul.

You can use this story to teach your child about forgiveness, even after a long time passes. In the story, a father has two sons. He gives them both their inheritance. One son decides to stay home and continue working with his father. The other son leaves home, lives recklessly, and spends all of his money. Once he hits rock bottom, he returns home. You would think his dad would be disappointed in him. Instead, his father rejoices and even throws a party for him. The main point here is that God will forgive you even if you stray and then come back. The other point is that it's never too late for forgiveness, even if years or decades have passed and even if the person you're trying to forgive hurt you badly. Tell your kids that they shouldn't give up on others. Your life will be more fulfilled if you can forgive.

When Jesus was to be crucified, many of his disciples became afraid. One of them was Peter, who fulfilled prophesy by denying that he knew Jesus three times. This seems like the type of betrayal that would end his relationship with Jesus and even his hope of Heaven. However, after he was crucified, Jesus approached Peter and mirrored the earlier event by asking Peter if he loved him three times. Peter said he did, and Jesus forgave him. The big point here is that if you believe in Jesus and ask for forgiveness of sins and repent, you will be forgiven. Your children can apply a similar lesson to their own life. Even if someone hurts them deeply and betrays them in a way that can truly devastate them, there is still a chance that they can forgive that person. People make mistakes, and that's okay. Forgiveness can help to make things right.

While Jesus Christ was on earth preaching and building his ministry with the disciples, he came across a mob of people who were going to stone a woman because she was caught in the act of adultery. Jesus stepped in just in time. Before they could throw their rocks, he said his famous line, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone." The men realized that they also had sin in their lives, so they dropped their rocks and went on their way. This story is essential when you teach your child about forgiveness. In addition to recognizing that you should find it in your heart to forgive others, we all must look inside ourselves first. Have you made mistakes? Perhaps you're guilty of the same sin that the person you're mad at committed. The fact is that we all sin, which is why we need God's forgiveness. It's a deep lesson to keep in mind.

David was one of the greatest kings who ever lived. He went from being a shepherd boy to one of the most important men in the Old Testament. However, he later strayed. He committed murder, adultery, and numerous other mistakes. At some point, the guilt became too much to take. In Psalm 51 of the Bible, he begged God for forgiveness of all of his sins. Since God is merciful, he forgave all of David's sins, and he was incredibly grateful. Though your kids are likely still innocent, you may mention that as they grow up, they may get caught up in sin and make plenty of mistakes. While they should try to avoid it, it's possible that the sins can pile up. Just remind them that they can be forgiven due to what Jesus did on the cross. Also, if they know someone who has wronged them many times, that they can try to find it in their heart to forgive them.

One of the strongest arguments about the importance of forgiveness occurred during one of the many talks that Jesus had with his disciples. In the book of Matthew, Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone when they sin against him. He asked if he should forgive them seven times. Jesus stunned them all when he said "I say not unto thee, until seven times: but until seventy times seven." You read that right. According to the King James Version of the Bible, Jesus said you should forgive those who wrong you 490 times, and that's just the minimum. The point here is that when you are one of God's children, God will forgive you if you admit and repent your sins. Your kids should see that they should also forgive those who wrong them because we all make mistakes.

There's one important story in the Bible that involves a man who has a huge debt that he cannot afford to pay. In desperation, he goes to the king. The king sees fit to forgive the debt, and the man is incredibly thankful. However, that same man then has someone who owes less money ask for his smaller debt to also be forgiven, and the man refuses. Once the king discovers that the man he forgave would not forgive someone else, the king punishes him. The point here is that when you teach your child about forgiveness, teach them that forgiveness is a state of mind. Plus, if your kids are forgiven, they should pay it forward and forgive the person who hurt them. Everyone deserves forgiveness, and your kids need to keep that in mind.