Back to School
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 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 6:6-7 NIV
As teachers and parents know, during the first few weeks of school, students are a little rusty. Over the summer, most students are not involved in formal schooling and may forget some of the things they learned over the past school year. This time of year, then, can serve as a good reminder for us about what the Bible says about where and when Christian education should take place.
While it may be easy for parents to outsource religious education to their church (Sunday School) and their Christian day school, the Bible clearly places the privilege and responsibility of teaching God’s Word to children on parents. As we can see from our text, education in God’s Word is to be provided at home and at all times. Our Bibles should not be tucked away all week, only to be taken out for church on Sundays; instead, God’s Word should be a constant topic of conversation and instruction. Children are gifts from God lent to parents, whose responsibility it is to care for them. While we want to provide for all our children’s needs, their greatest need is to hear and believe the good news of salvation through Christ Jesus.
Such a responsibility, of course, can appear daunting to parents. They should be comforted by the fact it is not their teaching skills that makes the difference. Instead, the Holy Spirit works faith through the words of Scripture itself. Parents can prepare themselves as teachers of the Word through prayer and their own study of the Bible. Luther’s Catechism, which was written for fathers to instruct their families, is also a wonderful place to start in learning (or reviewing) the wonderful truths revealed in the Bible. Home devotions and hymn singing also provide precious time together in God’s Word. And, finally, spontaneous conversations and real-life lessons provide constant opportunity to share Scripture.
Heavenly Father, we pray for the knowledge, ability, and desire to share Your saving Word at all times in all places. Amen.