Teach Them Diligently
The following may sound harsh, but it is said with genuine concern.
This morning, the girls and I watched the final service of a youth conference via live stream. Although all of the messages were geared toward young people, to ME they served as a reminder to parents of the NEED for diligent Biblical teaching and training of our children.
To mommas whose philosophy is to sit back and refrain from spiritual instruction for fear of being perceived as parents who are “pushing religion down a child’s throat”…
To mommas whose philosophy is to keep their mouths shut about God, allow children to choose for themselves, and hope for the best…
To these mommas, I wish to lovingly but urgently remind you:
Satan is NOT passive! Not. At. All.
While you are taking the “laid back approach” out of fear or for any other reason, your children are being aggressively pursued by Satan and this world’s philosophies.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” I Peter 5:8
As Christian parents, we are commanded to DILIGENTLY teach and train our children according to God’s Word.
“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be IN THINE HEART: And thou shalt teach them DILIGENTLY unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deuteronomy 6:6,7
We cannot effectively teach and train them unless God’s Word is first in OUR hearts – not our heads…our hearts. Truths spoken from the head reach the head. Truths taught from the heart reach the heart. Whatever is in our hearts does not need to be forced out of our mouths. It will come out naturally. Of what do we naturally speak to our children?
“…for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” Luke 6:45
Yes, our children will grow up and must make their own decisions about the direction they will go. They must personally see themselves as a sinner in need of a Saviour. They must personally repent and trust in Christ alone to save them. They must personally choose to serve the Lord. We cannot do any of that for them. But we can and should GUIDE them in the ways of the Lord by our own walk and talk. They should not only hear us talking to them about the Lord and His Word, but they should also SEE us striving to live for God – not just on Sundays – but every single day.
If we are insistent that our children brush their teeth, eat healthily, do their schoolwork, take a bath, etc., how much MORE should we be diligent in their spiritual needs? How much MORE should we be teaching them about God?
I guess you could say that I’m stirred up just a bit. But that’s ok. As a Christian momma and nana, I would rather be stirred up about spiritual matters than grow cold and indifferent. I love my grandchildren and think often about their generation and this world in which they are growing up. Will they and their generation be prepared to stand for truth and righteousness?
“He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future.”
Adolf Hitler