Shaping a New Generation – Part 2

Nena Arias | January 16, 2020

The first place of learning in all areas of life for all human beings is in the home. Even though we have many helps in our society, the greatest responsibility for forming and educating children is in the home unit. This is a monumental task since it is for life. If not with your immediate children it will be your grandchildren, etc. We are to pass on life knowledge and skills to our children and our children’s children. It is especially important that we pass on true value systems, as well as customs and manners. A child should learn to be polite, kind, respectful, God-fearing, honest, compassionate and service oriented right in their own home, just to name a few of the virtues they will need to be shaped from the inside out.   

Today’s parents are constantly asking themselves, “Am I doing the right things for my children? Am I doing enough for my children? Do I have enough influence to make sure they turn out right?” Because most people have bought into the myth that parents have less influence on their children than schools, media, government, or the church, many parents have relinquished their brief window of opportunity to make a difference. But the Bible considers the home environment lead and disciplined by godly parents the best “character workshop”.

On the other hand, it has become very convenient to let all those outlets and supports in society do the work for them in raising their children. But the truth is that God has placed squarely on the shoulders of parents the shaping of their children. Parents must discover effective ways to nurture and discipline children, learning how to balance instruction and correction in the discipline process. It is the job of parents to pass the faith on for generations to come. Children should learn about God from their parents.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 instructs: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, 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.”

Back in the 1960s and early 1970s, some parents started noticing that the public schools were way off in the emphasis that education was taking, and they decided to pull their children out of the public school system and educate their children themselves. The fierce battle that ensued with the authorities at times became very aggressive. You would think that the children belonged to the state rather than to their parents. It has been a long hard fight but finally homeschooling has gained much acceptability. Especially as the home-schooled children began to reveal a superior level in their academics and character learning than the children in public schools.

Modern Western education is more interested in cutting itself off from the biblical worldview and how it presents the knowledge of life. In 1988, protesters at Stanford University chanted, “Hey hey, ho ho, Western culture’s got to go.” We all knew that they were referring to the biblical values imbedded in our culture.

Anymore, Darwin is more highly accepted in our school systems than Christ is. We can clearly see that relativism has produced a very lost civilization so now everything goes. Tolerance, diversity, and political correctness are the buzz words of our day. Children are being taught that if they want, they can change their biological identity. What kind of generation have we been shaping in the last few decades?

What does it take to shape a new generation the right way? First the parting point must be from God’s values system so it can withstand the test of time. We must be consistent and not give up when the it gets tough and challenging. There must be a lifelong commitment to God, yourself and your loved ones. God will hold us responsible for everything he has given us. But we can be reassured, his principles always work.

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