If you want to influence a child’s spiritual formation, shape their moral imagination.

Moral imagination refers to the way we ascribe meaning and value to some wider pattern or order. The reason Christians make sense of the world differently than non-believers is because our imagination has been “sanctified” (i.e., set apart). Our unique way of seeing the world is why the imagination—particularly the moral imagination—is so important to the formation of a child’s Christian faith.

“When it comes to moral and spiritual formation, stories uniquely help us see and feel the true effects of sin,” Betsy Childs Howard says in her recent article, “Shape Their Moral Imaginations Through Good Stories.”

An example of just such a helpful story is Howard’s new book, Arlo and the Great Big Cover-Up, now available from Crossway and TGC Kids. With easy-to-understand language and engaging images, this book shows children ages 3 to 7 the freedom that comes through confessing sin rather than trying to cover it up.

“Having an expanded moral imagination doesn’t mean that children or adults will necessarily make the right choice when faced with temptations,” Howard adds, “but it does mean we will have additional evidence to combat the lies of the world, the flesh, and the Devil.”