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| Teach your children diligently, you値l be amazed at what they might say! |
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1:8 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching;
The following is an illustration inspired by the verse above, as conceived by someone you might find somewhat surprising.
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A little boy was about to leave home on a long journey. Before leaving, his mother handed him a long, rather heavy wooden plank, telling her son that he should carry it on his journey “because she loved him.” His father then presented his son an identical plank, repeating what his mother had said.
So the boy set out on his journey. After a while he got tired of carrying the two wooden planks. They felt heavier the farther he walked and as he followed the path through wooded areas the planks bumped into trees and bushes, feeling clumsy and in the way. He thought about dropping the planks--his parents would never know. But he dearly wanted to honor his father and mother, so he continued carrying them, despite the extra weight and discomfort.
Soon the boy’s journey brought him to the edge of a deep chasm. The space was much too far to jump across. “Oh, no! What will I do now?”, he questioned exhaustedly. He was afraid he would have to turn back. Just then he realized why his parents had given him the planks to carry! They were just long enough to get him across this particular obstacle! With joy he laid them down, whispered a prayer of thanks to God for his parents, and walked across.
The planks represent parental instruction and teaching, as in Proverbs 1:8. Sometimes children may feel that their parents’ instruction is heavy and hard to bear. Then, as they grow older and run into some of the real difficulties of life, they realize the true value and protection of their parents’ teaching.
by Daniel L.
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This illustration would be great if I came up with it myself. But the fact is, this came from the mind of a very bright and spiritually astute 9-year old son of another Christian family currently visiting with us from overseas. After his mother shared this amazing gem with us (tonight in fact), I had to share it with you! This really excites me! This is the wonderful fruit of one couple’s diligent efforts to pass their godly heritage along to their children. You see, it is possible! To be sure, it takes time, consistency, and our heart. But when we give our children God’s Word combined with these attributes, we (and our friends) will always be amazed at the results. It’s not necessarily easy, but aren’t our children worth it? 11:18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 11:19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 11:20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates; 11:21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
Isn’t this our primary responsibility as Christian parents?
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Sue |
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July 01, 2007 at 8:56pm |
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| Nice Mike! |
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Deb |
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July 02, 2007 at 11:01am |
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| This is great! |
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I agree. I am in the process of trying to instill this in my children as well. Does anyone know of a good way to teach the Bible to a 5 year old or younger who can't not really read yet? I purchased my 5 year old a princess Bible that has some pictures but I sit and read it to her and try to translate it as best as I know how so she understands it. She already learned who Adam and Eve are. She knows that the Devil is bad. She knows the very minimal basics. I take her with me to church on Sundays, which she loves, and she goes to the children's ministry for her age group. I also have some veggie tales cartoons which is a great way to teach her. Any other suggestions that you all have found helpful with your little ones?
Thanks,
Diana |
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Love this, Mike!
Diana, you are the first Bible your daughter will ever read. She will immitate what she sees you do. She will love what she sees you love. Make sure she sees you reading your Bible, praying, singing praise songs and meaning the words...living it, not just talking it. The first Bible verses my children memorized were through music. There are a bunch of Bible-based childrens CDs. Talk about those verses and what they mean as she learns them. Make God as constant an element in your lives as breathing. In short, Deuteronomy 11:19.
Just live it. My children continuously humble me now that they are teenagers. I go to tuck them in and they're reading their Bibles, writing in their prayer journals or even want to discuss a passage of scripture with me. I am so grateful to God to think that my meager efforts to praise Him and keep Him at the center of our lives has resulted in children who love Him the way my kids do! Under God's leadership, it is still possible to raise godly children in our world. |
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| Soozy, that was amazingly well put! I think that's the perfect answer!! And thank you Diana for your comment, I'm sure that as your daughter sees how important Jesus is to you, she will seek Him too in her own 5-yr old way. Lord bless! ~mike |
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Eric |
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July 03, 2007 at 1:29pm |
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Mike, as I started reading your blog, what immediately came to mind was a short conversation I had with a Jew last Saturday working the booth next to my church's. (He was manning a Columbia Association membership booth. He also overheard my conversation with the atheist, read my blog on that.) I asked him if he's a Christian and he said he's Jewish but doesn't practice. He said he doesn't have much truck with religion, his dad is religious, and he doesn't like the hypocricy he sees in the Jewish faith. For instance, when he was a kid, his dad would drop him off at the synagogue on Saturday and he would go off to work. When he said that, immediately Deuteronomy 11 came to mind: "Teach them to your children", as well as some other verse that talks about teaching the Word of God to your children so it becomes "palatable" to them. I can't find it now. It might be an alternative translation to a Greek or Hebrew word. The idea conveyed is that objectionable food fed to a small child will become tasty and will continue to be tasty throughout their life. Americans don't like the taste of vegemite; Australians don't like the taste of pickles -- pickles are made palatable to American kids, and vegemite is made palatable to Australian kids. My Jewish neighbor, remorsefully, was not "fed" as a kid. It seems weird to come to such a quick conclusion, but that seems such an obvious answer. Deut 11, indeed! |
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Eric |
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July 03, 2007 at 1:30pm |
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| By the way, that's an AWESOME parable! It came from a nine-year-old?! Wow! I'm going to remember that one! |
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| True true Good word GOd word all should read and do.pray the children listen too. |
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