When Math Becomes Worship: Helping Kids See God’s Order in Numbers
Most parents know the sinking feeling when their child says, “I’m just not good at math.” We’ve likely all heard it.
You pause, likely recalling your own struggles with fractions or long division, and try to encourage them. But part of you wonders, does it even matter anymore?
After all, the world feels less about equations and more about emotions. We prize creativity and storytelling over calculation and precision. But what if that shift has quietly cost us something deeper, not just in our schools, but in our souls?
Math Is More Than Memorization
In South Carolina, a new statewide initiative is trying to fix lagging math scores after testing showed that half of all students aren’t meeting grade-level expectations. Experts are calling in tutors, rewriting lesson plans, and aiming for higher proficiency by 2030.
But as Dr. Kathy Koch points out, the real problem might not be just about formulas.
“Who’s setting these benchmarks?” she asks. “And are they even paying attention to what kids really need, not just to know math facts, but to understand why math matters?”
Math isn’t simply about numbers on a page. It’s about learning how to think; to reason, to persevere, to find order in the world God made.
When a child finally sees how two ideas connect, or how an equation balances perfectly, they’re not just solving problems. They’re discovering how God’s creation makes sense.
Consumer Math and the Real World
Dr. Kathy laughs when she says, “Some adults can’t even calculate a restaurant tip.” But then she turns serious.
“We’ve lost something practical, what I call consumer math. How to budget, how to compare prices, how to understand that a debit card isn’t free money. These are things that teach both discipline and gratitude.”
She’s right. Math shapes character long before it shows up in a test score. It teaches patience, diligence, and the satisfaction that comes from solving something hard. In a culture obsessed with ease, math reminds kids: you can do hard things.
When God Taught Math
In Exodus 35–36, Moses gives detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle, including exact measurements, precise proportions, and specific materials. The builders, filled with the Spirit of God, crafted beauty through math.
Geometry became an act of worship. Ratios became reflections of reverence.
Those measurements didn’t restrict creativity, they revealed it. Each cubit and thread was a declaration that God cares about order, detail, and design.
That’s why teaching our kids math isn’t just about competence. It’s about helping them see that numbers obey God, and learning them is a way to join His rhythm.
Turning Struggle Into Strength
Dr. Kathy often says, “Interest drives ability.” When kids see purpose, they’ll push through challenge.
If your child struggles with math, she encourages parents to:
Make it personal: Count baking ingredients, grocery totals, or travel miles.
Bring in mentors: Invite an engineer, architect, or accountant to dinner.
Celebrate progress: Use a green pen to mark what’s right before you correct what’s wrong.
Remind them: “Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean you’re not smart.”
“Everyone can get better at math,” Dr. Kathy says. “Maybe not everyone will love it, but everyone can grow in it, and that’s what matters.”
Helping Kids Discover Math Through the 8 Great Smarts
Each of the 8 Great Smarts can help your child connect with math in a way that feels natural, not forced:
Word Smart – Tell math stories. Create word problems about your family, pets, or daily routines.
Logic Smart – Play strategy games like Sudoku, chess, or even “store” with fake money.
Picture Smart – Draw out math. Use colors and diagrams to visualize patterns or fractions.
Music Smart – Teach math through rhythm and songs; use beats to learn multiplication tables.
Body Smart – Use movement: jump or clap for every answer, build with blocks, or measure rooms.
Nature Smart – Explore patterns in leaves, petals, shells, and seasons, God’s math in creation.
People Smart – Solve problems together; let them tutor or explain solutions to siblings.
Self Smart – Help them reflect: “How did you feel when you figured that out? What helped you keep trying?”
The Takeaway
Math is more than memorization or mastery; it’s discipleship in order. When kids learn math, they’re practicing the discipline of faith: believing there’s structure, beauty, and truth even when it’s hard to see.
Every equation solved is a reminder: The same God who created patterns in numbers created patterns in us.
So the next time your child sighs, “I’ll never get this,” lean in gently and say,
“You can, because God made you capable of understanding His world. Math is one of the languages He speaks.”
That small truth might just awaken more than their logic smart. It might awaken their worship.