Teach Your Children Well

For those of you that don't know, my husband is an elementary music teacher, grades kindergarten through fifth grade. He is well-liked at the school, and many teachers, parents, and students know that he is a Believer. This often presents a conflict of interests being that he is a public school teacher...but he's done a great job of living the Christian life and allowing his light to shine while still respecting the law and being aware what he can and CAN'T say out loud.

Yesterday, he was teaching a class of 1st graders about patriotic songs. One of the songs represented was "Battlehymn of the Republic" ("Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord..."). They were singing the part of the song that says, "Glory, glory hallelujah..." and my husband asked the children if they could think of a place where they might hear those words. One little girl raised her hand and she said she thought of church. He then reminded the class that many patriotic songs were based upon the foundations of faith that our early leaders had. He told them that the words for the "Battlehymn of the Republic" come directly from the text of the bible.

One little girl raised her hand and asked, "What's a bible?"

My husband tried to explain, as politically correct as possible, of course, what a bible is.

When he came home and told me about this little girl, my heart broke. I couldn't believe she had no idea what a bible is. Nobody had ever talked with her about it or shared the contents of this amazing, historical, and inspired-by-God book.

It was yet another reminder to me that God has charged us parents with the responsibility of sharing with them what lies within the pages of that amazing book, and even if we don't feel we have the tools to do so, we must make sure they have a place to go where they can learn about it.

Let our children never ask the question, "What is a bible?" Let them be the children who can quote scripture directly from its pages.

Let's always remember to teach our children well.

"Listen, my son, to your father's instruction

and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

They will be a garland to grace your head

and a chain to adorn your neck."

~Proverbs 1:8-9