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10 Things Our Children Should Know Introduction: A few days ago I got to thinking about some lessons I learned from my parents. As parents we need to think about what we are teaching our children. So I came up with a list of ten things our children should know. Passages: Proverbs 22.6; 2 Timothy 1.5; 3.14-15 1)
The Value of Hard Work, Psalm 128.1-2 a.
Work is the means by which we earn our living but more importantly
it is the means we learn to do things
i.
My father grew up during the depression; I heard stories of
him as a young boy getting up early in the morning to go to work.
He finished the 4th grade because he had to work.
ii.
I learned on the farm the difference between a job and work.
If we do not teach our children to work they will not know what it means
to rest. Ecc. 5.12a; Proverbs 21.25 b.
The Bible teaches us to work, 2 Thess. 3.10; Colossians 3.23-24
i.
They need to learn not only to work for money but to work out
their salvation with fear and trembling, Phil.
2.12.
ii.
Work is not just reserved for our “secular lives” but also
our religious lives. 2)
You Will Not and Should Not Get Everything You Want, 1 Timothy
6.8 a.
Children often want many things.
Their desires can be unlimited for they do not understand the concept of
cost and that some things are not good for them.
i.
Parents should not give their children everything they desire.
We should be like our Father in heaven that knows what we need, Matthew
6.8
ii.
We are suffering from affluence in our society. Our wealth has
been unequaled and our appetites keeps on increasing.. Covetousness is a form of
idolatry, Colossians 3.5 b.
Sooner or later our children have to learn that some things are
beyond their means and some things are bad for them.
i.
A 16 year old should not have a corvette
ii.
Parents should
think about their children really need and most of the time it is not material
things. 3)
You Have Talents and Opportunities – Use Them Wisely a.
The parable of the talents teaches us a number of valuable
lessons, Matthew 25
i.
You may not be the most talented person but you do have at
least one talent
ii.
If you don’t use it you will lose it
iii.
God expects us to use what we have
iv.
If we use what we have our abilities will increase b.
Therefore don’t look for excuses but look for opportunities 4)
Personal Accountability, Proverbs 20.11 a.
Each of us is responsible for ourselves, Ezekial 18.19-20
i.
Don’t look to blame others for your actions, you did it you
answer for it.
ii.
Parents should not try to bail out their children when they
get into trouble. Let them pay the price for their deeds. b.
This includes their accountability before God
i.
Don’t blame God or your neighbor for your decisions and
actions.
ii.
Part of personal responsibility is repentance. 5)
Do Not Be Afraid, 1 John 4.18 a.
To be truthful – always stand up for the truth.
i.
It is the truth that will set us free, John 8.32
ii.
The truth has nothing to fear b.
To love others
i.
Don’t be afraid to be emotionally involved with people. To
care about them, Jesus loved His disciples without end, John
13.1.
ii.
Love shown in the proper ways is not bad. To
weep with those that weep and rejoice with those that rejoice. c.
To question
i.
Ask the why questions.
ii.
This includes what they believe about God. The problem is not
the question but where we go to find the answers.
Go to the Bible to make sure you know what you believe and why you
believe it. d.
To be different, 1 Peter 2.9
i.
Peer pressure is great in one’s early years and young people
often allow their peers to get them in trouble.
ii.
You are different just like everyone else is different. Each
child is different from their siblings. Different
is good because it means you are an individual. 6)
Always be honest a.
Lying is condemned in the Bible, Rev. 21.8 (sometimes called
bearing false witness)
i.
You will be tempted to say things that are not true but lying
catches up to you.
ii.
Old saying that it never ends with one lie because once you
tell a lie you must tell another lie to cover up the first lie. b.
An honest reputation will open up many doors in your life.
Proverbs 22.1; Ecc. 7.1a
i.
People will give you
the benefit of the doubt.
ii.
You will never be sorry you told the truth. 7)
There Is A Difference in Right and Wrong, Isaiah 5.20 a.
Truth is not relative
i.
Truth is not determined by majority vote or popular opinion.
ii.
Morality is not determined by our society but by God’s word.
b.
There are some things that are always right and some things that
are always wrong. Never let someone tell you otherwise. 8)
Human Life is Sacred a.
Man was created in the image of God, Genesis 1.26-27
i.
This means that their life is important and sacred.
ii.
The problem of our society is many view human life as
ordinary. We have young people
killing each other over a pair of shoes or because they are different. b.
They should value their life and their soul.
Don’t waste it. 9)
Marriage Is For A Lifetime, Matthew 19.4-6 a.
Therefore be careful of who you marry.
i.
Think about spending the rest of your life with this person.
ii.
When you have problems you had better work them out. b.
The only one that has a right to get married is the one that has
never been married, one whose spouse has died, and one who puts away their
spouse for adultery.
i.
To marry someone that does not have the right to be married is
to set yourself up for heart ache.
ii.
Don’t make the mistake many others have made. 10)
God Comes First a.
He comes before all else, Ecc. 12.13
i.
He comes before your desires and wants; he comes before your
spouse, he even comes before your children. Matthew
10.37
ii.
Only those placing God first will go to heaven. b.
Your children will hear the opposite from their friends and
neighbors.
i.
They will hear that every thing else will come first and God
will come in last.
ii.
I have seen many a child learn this lesson from their parents
also. Don’t do your children a
disservice by teaching them that God is last. Conclusion:
Most if not all of these lessons I learned from my parents and have not
forgotten. Can you say your children
have learned them from you? |