Historical Posts
Educating Our Young
More than twenty-four hundred years ago Socrates said, “Could I climb to the highest place in Athens, I would lift my voice and proclaim: ‘Fellow-citizens, why do ye turn and scrape every stone to gather wealth and take so little care of your children to whom one day you must relinquish it all?'”
I am constantly amazed at how relevant the past seems to be. More than two thousand years have passed and still people seem more interested in accumulating wealth than in caring for their offspring.
Christians are, or ought to be, a different breed.
Children are a gift from God, a blessing to be valued, not abused (Psalm 127:3-5). They are to be loved and cared for by parents who see in them their greatest work. What could be more important than molding young lives to be productive citizens and godly men and women?
Educating our young is a tremendous work.
We should want and demand the best in this regard. Those who educate our children should be the best and brightest among us. They are, after all, engaged in a great work. But, this work can never be completely successful if we expect them to do the job alone.
The real work of educating the young begins at home.
- It is here that a hunger for knowledge and learning must be instilled.
- It is here that morals and values must be enforced.
- It is here that love of God and country must be taught.
When the home does its job, the school will have a much easier time.
The problems in the public schools of America today are the direct result of failures in the home. We, as parents, would do well to take to heart the admonition of Moses, when he said to the Israelites: “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children…” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).
— Roger
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Home: As God Designed It – Children
Home as God Designed It
Husbands and Fathers - Wives and Mothers - Children
Children: An Heritage of the Lord
There is no doubt that children are a special blessing in any family. For the first seven years of our marriage, my wife and I struggled with the painful frustration of childlessness. We knew all too well the feeling expressed by Rachel, when she said to Jacob, in her desperation, “Give me children or else I die” (Genesis 30:1). But, when we adopted our son, sadness immediately turned to joy and we have always felt like we have had a special appreciation for the sentiment in Psalm 127:3-5.
If there is a role for children to play in the home, it is to be obedient to their parents and to learn all that they can from them. Ephesians 6:1-3 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” The concept of children being obedient to their parents is described in the text as inherently “right.” In the natural world, the young look to the old for guidance and for a proper example of how to behave successfully. Parents owe it to their children to set a good example and to guide them in following the way of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Also, children are directly commanded to “honor” their parents, which goes to the concept of respect. Parents are owed respect from their children simply because they are the parents. A wise child learns to respect and appreciate his parents at an early age. If we take our parents for granted, we will find that they are gone from our lives much too soon.
In an almost instinctual way, children are prone to push their parents to the limits of their patience, but parents must not be faint of heart. It is only natural for children to test the boundaries of acceptable behavior and it is up to parents to keep those boundaries clear and consistent. Children must understand that most parents are not trying to ruin their lives, or take all the fun out of everything. Parents tend to want only what is best for their children. Kids would do well to keep this in mind.
“Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them”
– Psalm 127:3-5
Is God Part of Your Family?
Families everywhere are in crisis. The integrity of what was once considered an “average” family (husband/father with wife/mother and children all living together in one house) is under assault from numerous adversaries. Many have given up on the ideals of marriage and family life, in favor of modern sensibilities. But, we don’t have to settle for anything less than the Biblical model of what “home” is all about. If you want a truly Christian home, then the first thing you need to do is make God part of your family. This happens when families make God’s Word the central focus of their lives. When the Bible is read in the home, obeyed in the home, and reverenced in the home, then the home will be as God designed it. The problem with modern families is that they are not based on God’s design for the home. Let’s all dedicate ourselves to making God part of our families. Our lives will be better for having made the effort.
Content by Russell Kline
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Home: As God Designed It – Wives and Mothers
Home as God Designed It
Husbands and Fathers - Wives and Mothers - Children
Wives and Mothers
The woman’s role in the home, as wife and mother, is frequently maligned in our society, to the detriment of families everywhere. Many regard a woman’s life to be wasted, if she foregoes a career, in order to raise her children and attend to her family. While a woman has every right to pursue her ambitions and leave her proverbial mark on the world, it must be recognized that there is nothing wrong with a woman who wants to devote her life to being a wife and mother. Some may argue otherwise, but the woman’s role in the home is of paramount importance.
The Bible says that the woman is the “keeper” of the home (Titus 2:4-5). This denotes the idea of her making the home a safe haven from the world for her husband and children. In this way, she is her husband’s “helper” (Genesis 2:18-25). It is her responsibility to follow his Godly leadership and to support him, as he watches out for the best interests of the family. Also, she is responsible for keeping her family on the right spiritual path (2 Timothy 1:5). If her husband will not lead the family in the right direction, she must do so, herself (1 Peter 3:1-4).
The Bible does not say that Christian women have no choice about how they may live their lives. In the Bible, we read about Godly women who had careers (like Lydia; Acts 16:14,15). Also, we read about Godly women who devoted their lives to serving others (like Dorcas; Acts 9:36-41). The point is that a Christian woman can be whatever she wants, as long as she does not neglect her duties as wife and mother. When a woman chooses to get married and have children, she takes up a mantle of responsibility that she cannot put down. She must take her commitment seriously.
“Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” —Ephesians 5:33
Is God Part of Your Family?
Families everywhere are in crisis. The integrity of what was once considered an “average” family (husband/father with wife/mother and children all living together in one house) is under assault from numerous adversaries. Many have given up on the ideals of marriage and family life, in favor of modern sensibilities. But, we don’t have to settle for anything less than the Biblical model of what “home” is all about. If you want a truly Christian home, then the first thing you need to do is make God part of your family. This happens when families make God’s Word the central focus of their lives. When the Bible is read in the home, obeyed in the home, and reverenced in the home, then the home will be as God designed it. The problem with modern families is that they are not based on God’s design for the home. Let’s all dedicate ourselves to making God part of our families. Our lives will be better for having made the effort.
Content by Russell Kline
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Home as God Designed It: Husbands and Fathers
Home as God Designed It
Husbands and Fathers - Wives and Mothers - Children
Husbands and Fathers
The man’s role in the home, as husband and father, is frequently misunderstood in our society. God has ordained that men and women must fulfill specific roles and responsibilities, in order for the home to function properly. It seems that men struggle more than women with understanding and playing the roles that God has appointed for them, in every household.
In Ephesians 5:22-23, the Bible says, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.” The husband’s role as the “head” of the house is one that is the most misunderstood. It does not mean that he is a dictator in his home, or that his wife is bound to obey his every command. It does, however, mean that he is the spiritual head of his family, and that it is his God-given responsibility to make sure that everyone in his home is on their way to Heaven (Ephesians 6:4). Many husbands in our society are unconcerned about spiritual things and are certainly not leading their families in the pathway of righteousness. If a man wants his wife and children live Christian lives, he must lead them in doing so.
Furthermore, as “head” of the house, it is the man’s God-given responsibility to provide for the material needs of his family, as well as their spiritual needs. First Timothy 5:8 Second Thessalonians 3:10 make it plain that any man who is able to work and support his family, but refuses to do so, is failing to fulfill his duty toward them and toward the Lord. For many years people have bemoaned the sad condition of our society, in which fathers abandon their families and spend all their time and resources in selfish pursuits. This sort of behavior is intolerable in a Christian home.
In Ephesians 5:33, the Bible says, “Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” It is the wife’s duty to “submit to” and to “reverence” her husband. This means that she is to respect his judgment and be supportive in his guidance of the home. But, a husband who fails to lead his house in the right direction is not deserving of respect or support. A woman will respect a man who behaves as a man should, but she will not have respect for a man who is derelict in his spiritual and material responsibilities.
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;” – Ephesians 5:25
Is God Part of Your Family?
Families everywhere are in crisis. The integrity of what was once considered an “average” family (husband/father with wife/mother and children all living together in one house) is under assault from numerous adversaries. Many have given up on the ideals of marriage and family life, in favor of modern sensibilities. But, we don’t have to settle for anything less than the Biblical model of what “home” is all about. If you want a truly Christian home, then the first thing you need to do is make God part of your family. This happens when families make God’s Word the central focus of their lives. When the Bible is read in the home, obeyed in the home, and reverenced in the home, then the home will be as God designed it. The problem with modern families is that they are not based on God’s design for the home. Let’s all dedicate ourselves to making God part of our families. Our lives will be better for having made the effort.
Content by Russell Kline
Return to the Home Page