Teaching Our Children

God wants us to teach our children well. In the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, Moses gives a series of addresses to the people of Israel. He reviews the Ten Commandments. In chapter 6, verses 4-9, He says, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, The Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates”. It is up to us as parents to teach our children The 10 Commandments. Along with the entirety of the Bible, they are no longer mentioned in the schools. Secularists are in the process of eliminating their display in the court room or any public building. These ten very good rules for living were the basis for western morality and the laws of our nation. It is us parents who give children values and show them how to act, behave, make the right choices, and know the difference between right and wrong.

When children are given a moral foundation and guidelines to live by, they will grow in character and in the awareness of the needs of others. Political correctness tells us that there are no absolutes. The Bible does give us absolutes. We are also told that truth is what you perceive it to be. Our children have to be taught to be honest. Truth is truth. We must be honest with our children even if it means admitting our own mistakes. Our children learn by the example which we give them, not just by our words of instruction. They will be real with us if we are real with them.

A person’s moral code develops throughout childhood and is ultimately shaped and determined by thousands of little decisions being made every moment of every day. Every situation becomes a teachable moment. Many times it is easier to give in to a child’s demands or tantrums than it is to stay steadfast and consistent knowing that you are helping them to develop into an unselfish adult with a healthy self image and respect for others. God wants us to teach and train the children He has blessed us with. He is loving and we are to be loving. We are to speak blessings over their lives and pray for wisdom and God’s guidance in everything thing we say and do.

As believers, we want our children to seek and know God, know the Bible, know truth, and know right from wrong because God says so. We want them to be wise and make wise decisions. The book of Proverbs was written to teach us wisdom and discipline. It begins with the reminder that, “to have knowledge we must first fear the Lord”. The book then goes on to deal with matters of religious morality, common sense, and good manners. Qualities such as humility, patience, respect for the poor, loyalty to friends, self-control, family relations, and business dealings, are found in short sayings throughout the book of Proverbs. If you have not started to read the Bible on your own, The Proverbs is a good place to start.

Richard and I have always been honest with our children. As children, they were taught to always tell the truth. They are now trust worthy and very honest young women. I now witness this trait being passed on to my grandsons. 7 year old Trevor is open and honest at home and in school. He is quick to report any situation which has happened in school, good or bad. Trevor and Hunter have observed politeness at home. They are both very quick to say please and thank you. I have passed on my faith to my children and now faith in God is being passed on to my grandchildren.

I prayed with my children and now Erica prays with her children. When we talk to God about everything, any time, and all the time, they grow up feeling God’s presence and know that He is always with them. Erica and the boys, on their drive to school or when they get to Erica’s classroom always say a prayer for God to help them through the school day. God honors them as they honor Him. Little Hunter (4) had surgery this past Sunday to repair a bad break in his left arm and elbow. He knew that God was with him and would help him. His mommy prayed with him and both Hunter and Erica were given the “peace that passeth understanding” which is promised in God’s word. Everything went smoothly and he is recovering. Now God is healing his bones and Hunter is going back to school to show his classmates the cast on his broken arm. And, I know that all things aren’t good but “all things work for good” (Romans 8:28), and that God gave Erica the “strength” (Philippians 4:13) and “peace” (Philippians 4:7) which she needed to help her son.