Instagram, tiktok, face book, youtube...What is the biggest influence on your child's heart?
In a world of so much noise and untruth, one of your job's as parent is to teach truth! The Bible, God's truth, directs us in how to do this in Deuteronomy 6. You shall love Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words that I command you this day shall be on your heart, memorize them. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall talk to them when you sit in your house discussions at mealtimes or about something you heard, read or watched, and when you walk by the way when you are driving in the car. and when you lie down prayers and devotions at bedtime, and when you rise prayers, Bible verse and songs in the morning. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand Christian jewelry...You shall write them on the doorposts of your house crosses and Bible verses hanging on your walls. (Italicized are my added words.)
One spring, I was thinking about all the memory verses my sons learned at their Christian elementary school. If you put the verses all together, it would be add up to chapters of the Bible. I got the idea that we should learn a chapter of the Bible over the summer. That led to thinking we should learn an entire book of the Bible. Hmmm ambitious moment. Philippians has four chapters. Four chapters, four sons. Each boy picked which chapter he wanted to learn. (I worked on memorizing the same chapter as my youngest son. I still smile every time I hear those words in church or read them in a devotion. Such familiar words!) Each morning started with learning a half verse or so, about 2-3 verses per week. Before bed, we started with Philippians 1-the person memorizing that chapter recited as far as he could go and then he would read the rest of the chapter. And then the person working on Philippians 2 same. We continued with each boy through Philippians 4. Every night (or realistically most nights) that summer we heard the book of Philippians. Very uplifting.
Music is another way to cement words into your brain. You can find many playlists that are specifically Bible verses set to music. Kids love to listen or read the same book music, movie over and over. What better than listening to Bible verses set to music over and over. My boys, when in high school, used to tell me that just when they needed it most, a Bible verse they had learned when they were younger, would pop into their minds.
Post a memory verse on the refrigerator each week for everyone in the family to learn. When everyone has it memorized, family treat time-ice cream, family bike ride or pool trip, or etc.?!
What is written on your heart, your child's heart? How about writing joy, peace, and encouragement from God's Word?!
