The songs we choose to sing with our children have such a lasting impact because of the stickiness of music itself. A good melody becomes the four-lane highway delivery system to build a strong and centered source of truth that will whisper constantly in our children’s ears. Even when our children move away from home, they will take the songs of their childhood in their hearts with them, so we must take action now to lay that ever sure foundation of true identity.
Our identity is our unique perception of who we really are, our philosophical self-portrait. This construct informs all of our decisions and tethers us to our prescribed worldview. As our children grow and become more acquainted with the world and how it works, they will build their identity as they discover how they fit into world. Guiding a child through this process is a long game skill, but I do believe that there are some truths children (and adults) can never hear too often. For Christians, some of these truths are that we are God’s children, that we have been chosen, that we have a worth ascribed to us by God, and that we are secure in our standing before God.
I have begun to curate a playlist of identity songs to teach my children and to have playing in our home, and I would love to share them with you.
My first selection is “My Worth Is Not in What I Own” by Keith and Kristyn Getty and Graham Kendrick. My favorite lyrics belong to the second verse and speak so acutely to children and their whole world of dreams stretching before them:
My worth is not in skill or name
In win or lose, in pride or shame
But in the blood of Christ that flowed
At the cross.
We have this song playing all the time, and my girls know all the words by heart. I especially like the version with the duet by Fernando Ortega and Kristyn Getty. Check it out!
The second song in my list is “Greater” by MercyMe. This is a really fun song for kids because it is upbeat and catchy, but there is a wealth of scriptural truth woven into the lyrics. Anytime I find a song with direct scripture quotes, I pay attention to it. I cannot think of a better identity for my children to have than being a redeemed child of the all-powerful God.
‘Cause I hear a voice and He calls me redeemed
When others say I’ll never be enough.
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world.
I heard my third song selection, “From the Day,” for the first time at a conference several years ago when I Am They was the worship band. Let me just quickly add that if you have not heard of this band and do not know the meaning behind their name, it is worth your time to look up because it sheds light on a great truth! This song reminds us of our journey from darkness to light and calls us to live in the joy of the redeemed.
When You found me, I was so blind
My sin was before me, I was swallowed by pride
But out of the darkness, You brought me to Your light
You showed me new mercy and opened up my eyes
From the day You saved my soul
‘Til the very moment when I come home
I’ll sing, I’ll dance, my heart will overflow
From the day You saved my soul
The call to a new life in Christ changes every part of us, and we are commanded to only look forward as a runner does in a race. The prolific hymn writer, Fanny Crosby, penned a joyful hymn of deep understanding of her new life in Christ. “Blessed Assurance” packs several deep scriptural truths about the identity of a believer being rooted in the work of Christ.
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
O what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood
As we teach our children the importance of their identity being rooted in Christ, we must also remind them that they have all they need in Jesus right now—“Jesus is mine.” They are presently an heir and forever belong to the Lord. We must never take for granted our children’s understanding of how they view themselves in the present. So much of our discipleship is of a forward-looking nature (future in heaven, one day seeing Jesus, etc.), but our children can greatly benefit from the reminder of who they are in Christ right now, and “Blessed Assurance” certainly fits the bill in this case. As one bonus song thrown in, I really enjoy “My Story” by Big Daddy Weave, which has an allusion in the bridge to Fanny Crosby’s hymn. It might be a good add-on after your kids have become familiar with “Blessed Assurance.”
Next is “Be Thou My Vision.” Oh, that our children would see life, the world, themselves through a lens crafted by their Heavenly Father! This ancient hymn is a profound prayer for the believers to keep their minds and hearts set upon their Savior amidst the distractions of this world. Every stanza brims with scriptural truth. In our modern culture of excess and self-promotion, I pray that my children can remember and live by these words:
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art
My playlist for my children is ever growing, and I could mention dozens more songs, but this is a short read, not a novella. Let me simply close with the song, “Before the Throne of God Above,” written by Charitie Lees Bancroft (tune by Vikki Cook), which speaks to our standing as the Redeemed. The second verse reminds us to cling to the reality of Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
I pray for a shame and guilt-free life for my children because they have fully realized their Savior’s sacrifice and forgiveness. Whispering this truth into their ears, “Before the Throne of God Above” shatters the former claims of this world and spiritual darkness on the believer’s soul.
Like I mentioned before, I am discovering and rediscovering songs that speak to our standing with God, but I hope this very short list gets your mind marinating on the lyrics of songs you want to share with your children on who they are. Identity has become such a crucial part of modern thinking, and with the individual’s primacy rising to a peak in modern American culture, we need to be having these conversations with our children. If we don’t, the world will fill in the blanks, and it is a bankrupt alternative to the high calling placed upon Christians.
Subtle conversations through song and direct conversations when the moment strikes will be a great way to keep those lines of communication open. As your children grow and even leave the house, their connection with you might change but it won’t wane. I still love talking with my dad about songs, and we have lived states apart for a decade and a half. Our children are too precious and the years are too short to wait to speak heart to heart with them. Sing together, laugh together, and encourage one another with “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” while they are under your wing.
Come Sing Together 