Train them up!

" An educational system isn't worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life." - Source Unknown

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

-Proverbs 22:6

Teachers are one of the most important members of our society. Next to family, children spend most of their time interacting with, learning from and hopefully growing from their relationships with their teachers. However, as a teacher myself, I'll be the first one to admit that there are severe gaps in the educational system (hypocrisy, political nonsense, secular humanism, etc) that the teachers simply cannot be held responsible for.

As teachers, we are essentially told what to and what not to do, and those "rules" we follow impact your child each and every day, for 10 months out of the year, for at least 6 hours a day! But, as the quote above says, what use is a well educated mine if the heart and spirit are not tended to which allows children to actually become people and not just sources of regurgitated information and facts?

As a teacher, I highly encourage parents to fill that gap that teachers simply cannot fill. What should parents fill the gap with? Well...faith, humility, honesty, sincerity, compassion, commitment, courage and most of all, love. Too many parents leave the rearing of their children up to teachers and spend little to no time getting to know their child and mold and shape their lives helping them become adults who exhibit humility, compassion, faithfulness, courage and real intelligence.

All of the text book knowledge in the world means nothing when you are facing some of life's most difficult circumstances - what good will that equation get you then? (unless you are installing carpet :)). Children need to learn, from their parents, where to turn when trying to actually become people. And, surprisingly, it is not found in a textbook, a thesis, research papers, statistics, the news, Oprah or anywhere else ...

It is found in the B.I.B.L.E - Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. The one book that, unless your child is in a parochial school, cannot be given out by teachers.

This book is the one book they will need to not only build a life, but to help others build their lives upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, not of the "world". This is a book that has to be placed into their hands by you, their parents, and also must be one that is in your hands as well. This is the book that should be the basis for every aspect of their development - it should be their guidebook to life...their manual for success. But, as a teacher, we cannot teach your child these lessons...we can be examples, but we cannot, legally (unfortunately) teach Biblical principles...so who will? Who will ensure that the well trained mind that hard working teachers (and home school parents!!) develop turn into adults that know how to build a life upon the only solid teaching that ensures true success - the Word of the Lord.

Will you be that teacher? Well then, train them up! :)

PRAYER:

Father,

I pray that each child have the opportunity to not only be exposed to Your Word, but to truly take it to heart and build their lives upon the foundation that You laid out for us from the beginning of time. Father help us know how to best train up the children you have lent us, guide us, provide us with true wisdom which only comes from Your Word, and Your will. Bless Your children, Lord, and bring them all unto You. Help us to direct them to Your arms with well educated minds, a humble spirit and a heart to follow hard after You, Lord. In Your Son Jesus Christ's name we pray,

Amen.

Allison is the author of, Simple Christian Living, a blog committed to enjoying Christ, simply, every day in every way.