For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth...Eph 5:9
Fall 2003 Volume 4, Issue 4 |
The Christian Home |
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Every child born into this world deserves an attractive, warm, friendly, loving classroom where he or she can get a “grip on life.” This classroom is the home. A well-adjusted, knowledgeable, patient, good-natured teacher should be the instructor in this classroom. This teacher should be the parent. This is not always the way it is, but it is always the way God would have it. The young, formative years are the time to teach the important, basic lessons of life. These things include: Values The ultimate worth of people and things must first be taught in the home. If they are not taught here they may never be taught anywhere! Children must learn that people are more important than things. A failure on the part of parents to distinguish between people and things may be the reason why so many young people grow up wanting to accumulate things instead of helping people. Responsibilities Parents are the ones to begin teaching responsibilities. Young people are doomed to failure if they have to wait until they enter a "formal classroom" to learn about responsibility. Children have to be taught that they will be held to account for certain things. Every young person needs to be assigned a job at home and be held accountable for it. Parents are going to fail if they do not take the lead. Children do not manage the home, parents do. Who pays the bills and provides the food and shelter has to be established early in life. If these things are not taught by the parent, the children will not go and do likewise. Dependability is of the utmost importance in the development of character. It is heartbreaking to have our children grow up and leave home not being ready to face life. |
Discipline Our children really want to be told what to do and how to act as they are growing up. It is unfortunate to have them think manners are some kind of disease. They have to learn how to take disappointment and face pain and that adversity is part of every person's life. Children have to be admonished (Eph. 6:4). To admonish literally means "a putting in mind". This process involves "training by word whether of encouragement, or, if necessary, by reproof or remonstrance" (Vine). It must be remembered, however, that our children need to be trained not by word only, but also by act. Appreciation It fills the hearts of parents with gladness to see their children display appreciation. Thankfulness for who we are and what we have has almost become obsolete in many homes today. Too much is taken for granted. To stop, identify and reflect upon our blessings are among the things sorely needed by us all, and the process is a part of parenthood. Children simply cannot be deprived of the knowledge of appreciation. Appreciation is giving, not just receiving (Col. 3:15). So many children today are unloved. They really do not know what love is, because they never see it displayed in the home. When love is replaced by "feuding", "fussing", and "fighting", the results will be exactly what we expect them to be--catastrophic. Infants feel love very quickly, and they respond to it. Among our greatest needs is love, and some of the most successful people in life are those who were shown love when they were children (1 Cor. 13). Noah Hackworth |
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