The other day, I taught my 8-year-old son how to tie his shoes. In my mind, this is a skill he should have learned long ago, but last time we tried, his small little fingers struggled to work with the laces. But after shopping for school shoes this year, it became clear that kids with his size feet are expected to know how to tie laces, so we couldn’t put it off any longer.
We started with me trying to demonstrate how to tie his shoes. Didn’t work. Then we watched YouTube videos. No success. Then we watched a video while I also tried explaining. He was in tears and I was getting frustrated. Finally, we slowed it down. Worked step by step. Mastered one small piece before moving on to the next. Finally—finally—we had two bunny ears and a knot. Victory!
Celebrating Victory
On a Sunday, kids come to church having experienced many victories and losses throughout the week. Maybe they learned to tie their shoes that week—woohoo! Maybe they lost their soccer game. They may have aced a quiz or failed a math test.
And what about you? Maybe you succeeded at a goal or failed to finish a task. All of us have probably experienced a variety of successes and failures throughout our week.
That’s why Sunday worship is so important—it’s a chance for us to reset, whether we’ve experienced victory or loss. We come to be reminded of God’s Big Story—the truth of what real victory actually looks like, and the reminder of how to live into it.
Those reminders carry us into our week and help us experience victory in God’s way.
Wonder Ink’s 3-year, 52-week children’s ministry curriculum offers kids space to fully find their place in God’s Big Story. Children discover they are Known by God, Loved by Jesus, and Led by the Holy Spirit.
The Truth About Victory
In the worlds of our kids, victory throughout the week might be them remembering the truths that God knows them, Jesus loves them, and the Spirit leads them. Victory might come at school when, instead of responding in anger to a classmate, they share a kind word.
They may experience victory when they feel the presence of the Holy Spirit or show others Jesus’ love through their willingness to befriend the unpopular.
Victory—by God’s definition—comes when we look and act more like Jesus.
As kids come and open the Scripture during the Victory series—they will learn about true success that comes from God. The stories of people like Deborah, Barak, David, Elisha, and Naaman show that true victory comes when God shows up in amazing ways in order to rescue His people and show His glory.
He brings success and healing, protection and help—all through His power and timing.
These truths are so important to remember in our world today. We live in a time when victory is often measured by military might or political power. If your candidate wins the election—victory!
Victory—by God’s definition—comes when we look and act more like Jesus.
If your idea gains traction—victory! But this is the way the world views victory, and it’s often the exact opposite of how victory is achieved in the kingdom of God. This is such a crucial truth for ourselves and the kids we interact with.
Understanding Identity
When we understand our identity as citizens of God’s kingdom—first and foremost—then victory doesn’t come through political power, financial success, or social popularity. It comes from being willing to walk as Jesus did and show others what He is like through the way that we live.
Kids see a world around them that values power and might and success. But as we see in God’s Big Story, those who follow God don’t always win the battle. Oftentimes, their victories come when they trust God—even when He asks them to do something that seems silly, like washing seven times in a river.
And sometimes God opens our eyes to the battle beyond what we can see—the victory being won in the spiritual realm, no matter what we see going on around us.
Ultimately, kids need to know that victory in God’s kingdom comes from us imitating Christ. Christ who, instead of overthrowing Rome or consolidating power as king, showed us how to live as God wanted us to and then went willingly to a cross, sacrificing Himself for the sins of the world.
Victory in Jesus
The death of Jesus on the cross looked like defeat—a loss that could not be overcome. And yet, the willing sacrifice of Christ was the ultimate victory over sin and death and destruction—the crushing of the serpent and the crowning of the one, true King! God works in unexpected ways.
This is the good news of God’s Big Story and it’s what victory looks like in God’s countercultural, upside-down kingdom.
Ultimately, kids need to know that victory in God’s kingdom comes from us imitating Christ.
So, as you interact with kids and teach them about God’s victory, share examples of what this looks like in your own life.
As you follow Jesus each day—stay focused on your true citizenship and what success looks like as a disciple in God’s kingdom. And talk about the good news of our victorious Savior who sacrificed His own life for our sake.
That’s a victory worth sharing!
