Tag: Children

Grow

Re: Verse reading–Exodus 20:12; Luke 2:45-52; John 19:25-27 (day three)

“Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.”

It is no coincidence that two sentences after we about Jesus’s obedience, we read that Jesus grew in all aspects of his personhood—body, mind, spirit, social context.  Children are not physically smaller versions of adults.  They are not capable of the complex moral reasoning required to help shape the social order for the common good.  Obedience is the discipline that helps children develop such capacities.  To teach children to obey is not to burden them with an oppressive power structure; rather, it is to take seriously their potential as moral creatures—capable of great good or great harm.  Obedience is the only pathway towards the good life God created each child to live.  Are you teaching children to obey?

Ears of clay

Re: Verse reading–Exodus 20:12; Luke 2:45-52; John 19:25-27 (day one)

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”–Ephesians 6:1.  The Bible describes God’s plan for a child with an unusual word.  Hypakouo.  (Hypo=under, thus a hypodermic needle goes under the skin, and akouo=to hear, thus acoustics.)  Hypakouo was both action and attitude.  It described a child who listens as one “under” authority, with the intention and expectation of obedience.  Ever hear someone described as having “feet of clay”?  It is not a compliment!  It means a person who takes a stand/makes a commitment that eventually crumbles away with time.  “Ears of clay”, however,  is a good thing.  Sharp ears.  Soft heart.  Children who learn this suppression of self-will find it easier (later) to take this life-giving attitude toward God.  “Lord, have Thine own way.  Thou art the potter, I am the clay.  Mold me and make me after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still.”–George C. Stebbins.

Along the Way

Re: Verse reading–Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:1-9 (day six)

The most significant thing any of us can do for our children, without doubt, is to teach (and model) them to love God with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their might. Not sure any of us would debate that. Deuteronomy 6 presents to us though, a particular value in discipleship that we do struggle with, a lot. And that is we are called to disciple our children in all of life. We are to disciple our children as we go, or when we rise or lay down. It gives a picture of discipleship that is very different from the one we are accustomed to; we tend to lean towards programming or events to be primary, but in fact as valuable as those may be they were never intended to be. Sunday school or VBS are best served as supplements to what we are called to do with our children in the ongoings of our normal hectic lives.

So, let us all be encouraged to point our children to see and love Jesus in and throughout all of life.