“And you shall teach them diligently.”

Deuteronomy 6:1-9, “Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it, so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

In Israel today you can see the literal interpretation of this passage, with those who bind small packets (tefillin) containing certain Torah scriptures, and hotels that post other scripture quotations in a small tube (mezuzah) on every room’s doorpost. God wasn’t necessarily interested in these outward signs; He is interested in our attitudes and actions that influence others, especially our children. We can read the scripture, have devotionals, pray out loud and sing praise with our children; the real test comes in how they perceive our behavior. Do our actions line up with His word? Could it be that we would be better off not speaking as a classroom teacher and instead seek to walk as Jesus would have us walk in His steps today?

Give us Your gift of discernment and conviction as we live each day with young believers that they may learn Your principles in thought, word and deed.