“All
your children shall be taught by the LORD, And great shall be the peace of your
children” (Isaiah 54:13, ESV).
Kids
should have top priority in our lives. Dr. James Dobson has said, “Children
must be valued as our most priceless possession.” Children and grandchildren
are the future of the church. Every investment of time, energy, money and emotion
will more than payoff, in this world and in eternity. The people of Israel
always considered teaching and discipling their children a very high priority.
They guarded family time and established family traditions which helped them
maintain their identity as God’s people for thousands of years.
God
had given them their instructions through Moses: “Place these words on your
hearts. Get them deep inside you... Teach them to your children. Talk about
them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about
them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night”
(Deuteronomy 11:18a-19, MSG).
This
is still God’s plan! Here are some things to teach your children:
- Teach your children that you think
they are special – I’ve always told my kids, “You’re the best daughter in
the whole-wide world!” “You’re the best son in the whole-wide world!”
Spend some time with your children doing the things that they like to do.
Our children’s first glimpse into God’s love is the love we show them.
- Teach your children that you love
them – One of the best ways love is communicated is through patient,
consistent and purposeful discipline. The Bible tells us that if we do not
discipline our children we do not love them (Proverbs 13:24). God shows us
His love by consistently disciplining throughout our lives (Hebrews
12:5-11). Biblical discipline is not practiced in anger or rage, it is
always administered in love.
- Teach your children right and
wrong and to obey – Kids want to know boundaries and what is right and
wrong. While your children are young, teach them clearly what is morally
right and wrong. Teach them modesty, and to always tell the truth, and to
look away from evil. The Ten Commandments are a good guide for morality
(with the exception of the 4th Commandment, which is not a moral issue,
but the sign of the Old Covenant). These Nine Commandments are all
repeated in the New Testament.
- Teach your kids to love God’s Word
and God’s church – Reward your children lavishly and frequently for
memorizing God’s Word. Encourage them with prizes, money and words of
praise for every step they take in internalizing God’s Word. Make Sunday
the best day of the week! Don’t burden them with tons of chores; instead,
make it a day when you do special things together, get together with good
friends, and eat special food.
- Teach your kids by your example –
Our faith is caught even easier than it is taught. Nothing is as powerful
an advantage and blessing to your children than for you to live your life
sold-out to the Lord Jesus Christ!
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Pastor Mark Martin
Calvary Community Church
