How to teach children Biblical values
A mother takes her child by the hand. Photo Unsplash, Kelli McClintock
Christian Life
Children learn at school where they spend a significant amount of time. However, learning does not only happen when textbooks are open, Anna argues.
Many people groups had a turning moment in their history, for example, when they became a nation with their unique culture attached to a specific land and laws. The moment of birth of the nation is crucial as it lays the foundation for their future historical pathway.
God forms a nation out of a huge group of relatives (Israelites) that used to be slaves. In a breaking point of their history, God lays the foundation of their future life by defining the borders of their land and granting them a constitution, that they should follow.
However, it is next level when the Israelites (parents of a new nation) are asked to commit themselves to repetition of all these commands again and again to their children.
It literally states, “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:7).
Daily life
For us, as Europeans, it seems quite impressive, as the teaching should take place everywhere and anytime. This contrasts with a usual model of education that we are used to. In our context, education has a more formal meaning that is defined by specific time integrated into our daily routine.
However, in Jewish culture, education was a part of daily life. In ancient times, Jewish education took place at home, as kids would take up after their parents in all areas of life. They did not have separate schools as their parents taught them everything by doing their daily life routine. Even later in their history the discipleship meant the process of daily life with their Teacher as disciples would follow Him daily, eat with Him, learn from Him, sleep together. Basically, it is about living and doing life together.
Foundation
How can you “Talk about them (the commandments, ed.) when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” in your own life nowadays? It is using every opportunity to teach the Biblical truths with our own example. It is more than “learning how to do the dishes”. It is: “I forgive my neighbour as God has forgiven me, so you should also forgive other kids”, or “You see that poor woman? Let’s buy some food for her. God is generous to us, and we should also be generous to others”.
Teaching our children intentionally about God's ways will lay the foundation of their future life. It will lay a foundation for our future raising God-fearing generation. God is worthy to be honoured in every area of our lives and the way to honour Him is to impress His Word on our children.
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