In terms of being the primary place to teach religious values, the buck stops in the home. Do we really want or should we have any institution, group, school, or government mandating how our homes should run or what we should teach? We should also not get caught in the situation where some other agency ends up being the place (because we gave this responsibility to them), where values are taught to our children. At best, let me say that again, at BEST, they should only reinforce what we are teaching at home. The value of the Christian family is that we model for the whole world to see what God wants for His people. We are training agencies for the next generation of God's people. Just look at how many times in scripture the Jewish people are encouraged, no commanded is the more applicable word here, to tell of God and His love and deliverance to the 2nd and 3rd generations. Here are just some of the values that need to be taught in the Christian home, which in turn, increase the value of your family:
Learn about covenant- to love and be loved. (protection, nurture)
Learn grace – to forgive and be forgiven.
Learn empowerment – to serve and be served. (citizenship, work ethic)
Learn intimacy – to know and be known.
The state is not instructed to do this. The school is not charged to this. The church is not even the primary agent to do this. The youth group, may support the home, but it is not called on to do this. Moms and dads are called on to keep this age-old pattern. When our children ask questions as they normally will(and even when they don't!), then we are to explain the teachings of God. Parents are to instill godliness, and set before their children God's commands. At the same time, they will do well to explain how and why we cannot perfectly live up to those, and how God gives grace to enable us to obey. Our homes are the central and most important places for religious nurture.
No comments:
Post a Comment