Have you ever wondered what the saying, “salting the oats” means? If you have been around horses, you know they are obstinate. Given their size, people aren’t able to physically force horses to do their bidding, but must rely on training and techniques that gain the desired results. Sometimes a horse needs to drink water to be ready for work that Rancher Man knows is coming. But, being a “dumb animal” it has no desire to drink just then. Rancher Man has a wise method of encouraging his equine partner to drink the water he needs. He salts the oats the horse is eager to eat. Aha! Salt creates thirst and now, with a full belly and well hydrated the horse and Rancher Man are ready for the day’s work. 
We want our children to know and love Jesus, but are not sure how to stir up that desire in them. May I suggest one method to help you lead your little ones to the Living Water and experience the joy of their drinking deeply?
I’ve recently returned from visits with my eight grandchildren and their parents. My son’s family has begun a valuable practice of daily hearing Daddy read a chapter of the Bible after dinner, before anyone is dismissed from the table. This simple method of intentional “oat salting” could easily be adapted by most families. Let me give you a picture of what this looked like.
While we visited, on two successive evenings Daddy read from I Samuel (Chapters 5 and 6) about the capture of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines.
To recap the story for you: When the Ark is put in the temple of the false god, Dagon, God causes the Philistines’ beloved god to fall on its face and after a second fall which resulted in the statue’s dismemberment, the residents of Ashdod are distraught. Their panic escalates when there is an outbreak of tumors all through the land. To try to end their troubles they rid themselves of the Ark by placing it on a cart drawn by two cows which have never been yoked for pulling before. Their calves are locked up away from them and the Philistines watch to see where the cart will go. Its supernaturally direct route to the land of God’s people sends the clear message that they have tangled with the one True God.
After reading the chapter, Daddy asked a few simple questions to the children and gave some plain explanations of Philistine idolatry helped them understand the significance of the idol’s “face plants” at the hand of Almighty God. The short reading and talking session ended with a suspense building question: “I wonder what the Philistines will do with this troublesome Ark of the Covenant?”
Night two was started with a short re-cap of the previous night’s reading. After the next chapter was read, a discussion (primarily between adults and older children) ensued about cows and calves, the dynamic of a cow finding a nursing calf, and what a yoke is and how an animal would ordinarily react at the first use of it. All of this led to a clear awareness of the supernatural intervention of the True God.
It is wonderful that this family is hearing God’s Word—unadorned—each day. It only takes a few minutes and the questions and talk that follow help each child learn the skills of processing what has been read and heard. Deeper conversation began between the adults and older children and although the younger ones probably didn’t understand much of the dialogue, they are being shown a model of spiritual fellowship around Scripture. This “salting the oats” creates a thirst for the Living Water and will develop spiritual depth in children who are not only versed in Bible stories, but trained in the truths they are meant to convey.
What will you do to intentionally help your children love and understand the Word of God?
Photo attribution:
Photo by Andrew Wilkinson, no alterations
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