Children need to have a good education. Millions of dollars are spent on education each year to assure that this happens. The future of a nation depends upon the intelligence of its youth.
Parents want their children to make passing grades, in fact most want all “A’s” to come home on the report card. Each year a new crop of freshmen enter college to get an education that hopefully will lead to jobs that will last a life time.
As important as education is, knowledge of God is even more important. In the Old Testament God gave instructions to his people to pass down the things he did for them.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
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”(Deut. 6:4-7).
It was God’s desire that the people knew what had been done for them so that they would want to follow him. Who better to teach this lesson than parents?
It is easy to get so occupied with life that one forgets to study the Bible. While there are some who do not believe in God, many who believe fail to study as they should.
When the apostles were writing the Bible, they were instructed by the Holy Spirit to talk about the need to spend time studying.
Paul wrote, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
The apostle Peter said, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).
Knowledge is important in anything one does. Knowledge of God must take precedent over all else, because the fate of one’s soul rests in that knowledge. The test for eternity is one that must be passed.
If parents would look to the Bible for the instructions on how to love their spouse, love and raise their children, how to treat older family members, families would be much happier.
If parents lived by what they studied, then the examples they set would show their children how to live. The world would be a better place. There would be more respect, more love shown to everyone.
Taking the time to teach children how God made all things, how he destroyed the world by a universal flood, how he made a promise to a man that would bring salvation to mankind, how he allowed his only begotten Son to be crucified by man, how he raised that Son triumph over death and how all this was done because of love can change the world.
It takes time to study and to teach, but it is worth the time.