Kids, Heaven, and Hell

I teach a class at church on Wednesdays for kindergarten girls. I taught a lesson last night on heaven. I asked the girls how do people get to heaven. Many said being a good person. Three said believing in Jesus. One girl said that you could be all bad, but if God wanted you there, you would go to heaven. Another girl told me you could get there on a rainbow. Another girl said that when you die, they dig and dig and dig a hole for you and if at the bottom of the hole there is fire, you go to hell and if there isn't any fire, you will zoom straight up to heaven. One girl said that if you go to hell a truck will come and pick you up. Pretty funny, huh? The sad thing is that this probably isn't too far from what many adults out there think. Just like these little ones, they need to hear the truth. I told them there is only ONE way and that was to ask Jesus to live in your heart. When asking Him, you have to apologize for your sins and ask Him to be the boss of your life. We talked about what heaven is going to be like based on what the Bible tells us about heaven. I always worry that when teaching these bigger deeper concepts that I will confuse them or say something that they are not ready for. I believe, though, that it is my job as their teacher to start telling them the truth with as little sugar coating as possible. Our society is telling these children more and more everyday that there are many ways to heaven or even that there is no hell. These are not truths. We are responsible for protecting them from the world's lies. Just like you wouldn't tell your child that they can dial any number on the phone and reach you; we shouldn't be telling our children that any religion and any belief will get a person into heaven. This may not be the politically correct answer, but it's the only true one. In some ways, I was a little disappointed that only three of my kindergarten girls said Jesus was the only way. Maybe we need to start telling them the truth earlier or we need to be clearer. I don't want there to be any question or confusion in these children's or my own children's minds about how to get to heaven. There is only one way and His name is JESUS!