Nurturing Of Children - Bible Witness
Nurturing Of Children - Bible Witness
Nurturing Of Children - Bible Witness
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<strong>Nurturing</strong> of <strong>Children</strong> <strong>Bible</strong> <strong>Witness</strong><br />
Teaching Your <strong>Children</strong><br />
Spiritual Truths<br />
“And these words, which<br />
I command thee this day,<br />
shall be in thine heart:<br />
and thou shalt teach<br />
them diligently unto thy<br />
children, and shalt talk<br />
of them when thou siest<br />
in thine house, and when<br />
thou walkest by the way,<br />
and when thou liest down,<br />
and when thou risest up”<br />
(Deuteronomy 6:6-7).<br />
Most Christian parents<br />
will admit to being<br />
somewhat intimidated by<br />
the weighty responsibility<br />
Scripture places on them.<br />
Our task is outlined in<br />
simple terms by verses<br />
like Proverbs 22:6 – “Train<br />
up a child in the way he<br />
should go: and when he<br />
is old, he will not depart<br />
from it” and Ephesians<br />
6:4 – “. . . bring them<br />
up in the nurture and<br />
admonition of the Lord.”<br />
Understanding our<br />
solemn duty as parents<br />
ought to provoke a certain<br />
amount of fear and<br />
trembling. But,<br />
it need not paralyse us.<br />
Teaching spiritual truths<br />
to children is a joy. No<br />
one is more receptive,<br />
more hungry to learn,<br />
or more trusting than a<br />
child. Chances are, you’ll<br />
never find more eager<br />
disciples than your own<br />
children. Don’t squander<br />
the opportunity.<br />
Let me suggest some<br />
practical principles to<br />
remember as you labour<br />
to communicate spiritual<br />
truths to your children.<br />
1. Understand that<br />
children can grasp<br />
the essence of<br />
almost any truth<br />
Is theology for the child<br />
or for the theologian<br />
“Theology” and “child”<br />
are incompatible in the<br />
minds of many Christians.<br />
In truth, we can teach<br />
theology to children,<br />
but it must be taught<br />
simply and clearly with<br />
the “milk” of the Word.<br />
<strong>Children</strong> who are in<br />
kindergarten and primary<br />
level can grasp the essence<br />
of biblical doctrines. We<br />
should not hold back<br />
teaching them the biblical<br />
doctrines because we<br />
think they aren’t ready.<br />
Though children may<br />
not fully understand<br />
some of the difficult<br />
spiritual concepts, they<br />
can grasp the essence<br />
of almost every truth.<br />
In fact, children are<br />
equipped to assimilate<br />
spiritual truths. That’s<br />
why Jesus called the adults<br />
to exercise childlike faith:<br />
“Whosoever shall not<br />
receive the kingdom of<br />
God as a lile child, he<br />
shall not enter therein”<br />
(Mark 10:15). What<br />
makes a child’s faith<br />
more outstanding than<br />
an adult’s It is simply<br />
that children refuse to<br />
be troubled by what they<br />
cannot understand.<br />
How many of us<br />
understand the concepts<br />
of infinity, eternity,<br />
or omnipotence any<br />
beer than we did as<br />
children We may speak<br />
of those ideas with more<br />
sophisticated terminology<br />
now, but our finite minds<br />
still cannot grasp the<br />
complete reality. Don’t<br />
be afraid to admit that<br />
to your children. Even<br />
David wrote about God’s<br />
eternal aributes that<br />
“such knowledge is too<br />
wonderful for me; it<br />
is high, I cannot aain<br />
unto it” (Psalm 139:6).<br />
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