Teach Your Children

What is the most important responsibility a mother has in shaping and nurturing her growing children? Certainly, kids need shelter, food, love, and stability. We can think of many physical comforts that will help our children to thrive. However, a Christian mother needs to consider her children’s spiritual growth even more than their physical growth.

Every mother wants the best for her children, and wants to see them succeed. What is the way to success? God’s word makes it clear that great blessings come from following God’s ways and instructions. Proverbs 3:1–2 admonishes, “My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.”

Yes, it is every mother’s job to teach her children God’s law—the way of life that brings joy and peace and has been ordained since the beginning of time. We cannot fully teach our children knowledge without teaching them to fear and be in awe of the Almighty, loving Creator God. In Deuteronomy 4:10, God said, “Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, that they may teach their children.”A mother who has heard God’s word is to teach it to her children. Why? The fear of God is the beginning and foundation of knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).

So, just how often in each day will a Mom need to teach her children God’s commands and way of life? She is told to speak of God’s ways when she sits, when she walks, when she lies down and when she rises up (Deuteronomy 6:6–7). To do this, we obviously must spend a considerable amount of time with our children. As we do so, we will naturally find many ways to think of God’s word and relate it to everyday life, to help mold our little ones.

Every morning, mothers can read the Bible to their children—whatever their ages—and explain it at their level of understanding. Other tools may also be helpful, such as the exciting and fascinating Bible Story series by Basil Wolverton, which can still be found in used book stores or online. Older children may find the Tomorrow’s World Bible Study Course especially helpful as they learn to “prove all things” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV). By spending daily morning time in Bible study with her children, a mother can help not only to lay a foundation for the day’s activities, but also build in them a daily Bible study habit that will lay a firm foundation for their spiritual growth later in life.

Being an example and doing the right thing in our personal lives is also a powerful part of mothering. Proverbs 20:7 states that if we walk in integrity, our children will be blessed! A Christian mother should be mindful that if she fails to teach her children right values and morals, someone else will step in to teach them wrong values and morals. This world is full of wrong attitudes and immorality that can and will influence our children—if we do not do our part as mothers to be a major influence in their lives!

No mother is a perfect mother. But God expects every mother to do her best, fulfilling His will in producing “godly offspring” (Malachi 2:15). With His help—teaching our children what God has taught us—we can fulfill this responsibility, and help our children learn and practice the precious truths God has so generously given to us!