Parents & Children, Chapter 6

This meaty chapter was delicious! 

It reminds parents that their highest function is to reveal God to their children then, ponders ways we plant primal ideas about Him do that successfully or unsuccessfully.

Relying on Reason by reading the Scriptures and appealing to the mind is a mistake. Bible stories convey many incidents of people who, relying on their own logic and reason, are ultimatly led astray.   Reason is faulty.  The Jews reasoned that the Jesus must die because in their mind, he was a law-breaker.  This logic was derived from a lifetime of wrong thinking.  They believed by simply adhereing to a list of rules (mostly man-made) they were counted as righteous.  They were unwilling to change their minds; change their primal ideas about God and their Messiah.

Planting the proper primal idea of God is so important; it determines the habit of thought for a lifetime about Him.

Parents' first duty and highest privilege is to introduce such primal ideas of God as to impel the soul to Him.  If unbelief sets in, are the parents without blame?

Parents are obligated to teach by example.  Teach your children to pray by praying with and for them aloud.   Teach them to pray with their hearts. Teach them to commune with God by allowing them to see and hear you in order that they may grow up in the sense of God's constant Presence.  Teach them to pray in everyday words, not strange speech that may put up a barrier between them and their "Almighty Love'" using outdated words that may have no place in their day to day lives. 

One of my many favorite CM quotes is found in this chapter:  "Let the child grow up aware of the constant; immediate; joy-giving, joy-taking Presence in the midst of them..." (p. 57 P&C).

We must live a life of worhsip before our children.  It must be more than once a week occurence and even more than a once a day occurence.  it must be our lifestyle to worship and praise our Creator, to meditate on His Word daily, to speak to Him as our loving Father.  All this so our own children may also "speak out their joys and fears, thanks and wishes." (p. 56)

"It's very Hard to do God's work," remarked a boy of five.  Children know there is an ongoing fight between good and evil.  They understand they are a part of this battle between light and truth and darkness and sin.  Parents would do a disservice to their children to think otherwise.  We may smile at their little "crimes" once in a while, but not too much.  But lest our children become overly depressed with their sinfulness, we must take care to teach them "to live in the instant healing in the dear name of the Saviour of the world." (p. 59)

Lord, help me to do my duty well.

Reminds me of this passage from

Deuteronomy 6, verses 1-9


A Call for Wholehearted Commitment


“These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy,  and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life.  Listen closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.


“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.  Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.  Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.