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Start Teaching the Very Young
Isaiah 28:9 Whom did God say He would
teach knowledge and make
to understand doctrine? The children, young
children, those weaned from the milk ...
The young can be taught. They can receive knowledge
and doctrine. In the teaching of
beginners, impressions are made which last a lifetime.
In the first years children learn more than in any
other span of life.
Isaiah 28:10 The teaching must be
done precept upon precept and line upon line.
It is a continuing task, as building a building. First,
simple commands and truths, repeated often. Over and
over, again and again, the teaching must go on. Telling,
showing, explaining, praying. Watching to curb a wrong
habit, to develop a good one. Here a little,
and there a little. Gradually the
child's character grows. This is work for parents,
not baby sitters. It takes constant love, watchfulness,
authority, care, and prayer.
Proverbs 20:11 Even a child
is known by his doings—Known because
he has a definite character formed very early. Within
the hands of the parents is placed the responsibility
to see that this character is cultivated and strengthened
until he leaves their home.
Tools for the Work
Deuteronomy 11:18-19 God has given
parents the tools for their work. The Bible—the
Word of God, and the Spirit of God. First, lay
up these my words in your heart. Learn the
Bible, love the Bible, and live its teachings. There
must be TEACHING, and there must be good EXAMPLE also.
Then ye shall teach them your children. This
takes more than Bible reading in our daily family
worship. Speaking of them (God's
words) when thou sittest ... walkest ... liest
down ... risest up. The Bible is to be the
familiar, everyday guide of the actions of each family
member.
In the modern home there is a failing of parents in
presiding over the moral and spiritual training of
their children. Let us not be deceived into believing
that young people know what is right and can be depended
upon to do what is right, without help from others
in the home. We have to learn about moral and spiritual
values exactly the same way we learn mathematics.
We must be trained in morals, or we grow up morally
ignorant, inconsistent in habits, and unstable in
character. The home is humanity's greatest school.
The only sound basis for conduct is Christian faith.
Parents teach their children more than all other teachers
combined. Remember that lessons are taught by neglect
as well as by faithfulness to duty, and the lessons
you teach by neglect, you will later regret bitterly.
Deuteronomy 31:11-13 Here we find
instructions for the public teaching of God's Word
in the congregation. In the place chosen by God, men,
and women, and children, and thy stranger that is
within thy gates, were to be gathered while
God's Law was read. They were to (1) hear
and (2) learn and (3) fear
the Lord and (4) do all the words
of this law. The teaching of children is
emphasized in verse 13.
Discipline
Proverbs 13:24 Another important
department in the bringing up of children is DISCIPLINE.
Discipline is not just punishment, but it includes
it. He that spareth his rod does not punish the child
when the child needs it—hateth his son—is
doing harm to him. A child needs punishment when (1)
he knows he is doing wrong, (2) he chose to do it,
and (3) he does not show remorse for it. If words
of admonition do not change his will, punishment is
needed just as food is needed when he is hungry. A
parent who loves his child punishes him at the right
times. Right punishment always has love joined with
it. A child needs to know that his parents love him
even when punishing.
Training Is Lasting
Proverbs 22:6 Discipline is not all
punishment. Punishment is the negative side. Training
is the positive. Train up a child in the way
he should go. A child is not yet trained
when he is TOLD the right way. He is being trained
only when he DOES the thing, when he practices it.
Teach him, then go on to train him. When he
is old, he will not depart from it. He may
depart from the right way, but he will remember the
training.
What
children do we have in our care? We do not know now.
Possibly, future teachers, preachers, missionaries,
martyrs, great fathers and mothers, and great saints
of God. Whether they develop or not is largely dependent
upon our handling of them. A great privilege and responsibility
is ours.
JUST A THOUGHT
Love and admiration for the ways of this world cannot
exist side by side with sincere devotion to
the ideals of Christ.
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