Title ?むべき道を?育せよ
Contents
2009.11.1 Sunday Morning Worship
Text: Proverbs 22:6
Compared to the past, these days children are studying more and their enthusiasm for education is much higher.
But why are children becoming worse than they used to be?
The human heart is like a flower bed that can be cared for.
If you take good care of it, you can make a beautiful flower garden, but if you neglect it or not, dissatisfaction, jealousy, hatred, anxiety, pride, anger… . It becomes a field of hearts that has changed so much from the original image of God.
Why is today's text of the Bible not saying, "Teach an adult in the way he should go", but "Teach a child". are you saying?
A lot of psychologists are talking about it. It is said that the most precious period that determines a person's life is from birth to 6 years of age. Psychologist Dr. Koldie Meyer said in his book: “More than 85% of adult behavioral patterns and attitudes are instilled between the ages of one and six years. By the age of one to six years, almost all of the attitudes and attitudes he will have as an adult and how he will live his life. that this is decided.
To a famous Greek educator, someone carried a child and asked, "When will we start teaching?" When asked, "How old is the child?" How old are you? “I am only two years old now,” I replied, “and then this child is two years late.” that is said.
This is a reminder that the time you spend with your child when they are young is very important to your child's future quality of life.
Therefore, it is appropriate to teach religious education at an early age.
The learning experiences of childhood last a lifetime. There is a Korean proverb that the habit of being three years old goes on until eighty.
It is said that a certain mother was thinking about how to raise her children well, and went to seek advice from a wise man.
The wise man takes the mother to the garden, but tells her to uproot the tree that has been planted in the garden.
The first tree was gently plucked as it was recently planted.
The second one was planted a while ago, and although it took some roots, it took a little effort and was uprooted. The third tree looked like it had been planted for many years. No matter how deep the roots are, it doesn't move no matter how much it hangs, shakes, or hangs.
So I gave up and said, "Sir, I can't pick this one." because
"This is what children's education is. When you're young, your personality changes easily.
Although it can be taken care of somewhat easily after a few years,
A personality that has already deeply rooted for 5 or 10 years is never picked."
The passage of time forms habits. Early childhood is the best time to develop character, and it is difficult to enter elementary school already.
Have you ever met someone who listened to their parents well when they entered high school or college? When I enter high school and college, I don't listen anymore. No, even as a middle school student these days, I hardly listen to my parents.
Therefore, the time to follow parents is still in elementary school, so it is to instill faith in elementary school. Then you will never forget it for the rest of your life.
Because habitual faith is deeply rooted, no matter how much you go out into the world and be shaken by the world's temptations, your faith will never be pulled out.
This is because if the earth is not cultivated, only weeds will grow, and if people do not teach it, the weeds of sin and greed will grow.
“Jesus Christ died on the cross for you. Because you have sinned before God, if you just leave it as it is, you will surely go to hell. Jesus died on the cross because Jesus paid the price for your sins. Just because of you... … So we come to church to give thanks, praise and worship to Jesus for saving me.” That is, we must teach the gospel message clearly.
It is to lead them to meet Jesus Christ, the most precious treasure and holy name in life.
In Joshua 1:8, God spoke to Joshua.
“Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth, but meditate on it day and night, and observe all that is written in it, so that you may prosper and prosper in your way.”
Hannah the mother of Samuel, Mary the mother of the Lord, and Eunice the mother of Moses.
These are the representative godly and virtuous mothers of the Bible.
On the night when Augustine was leading the life of a prodigal prodigal, and departed for Italy, waving the hand of his mother who had been begging for him to be strangled, his mother Monica had turned away from behind her back the sound of crying and praying all night long. I repented and came back. A child of a praying mother never perishes. do you believe
Halberton, a world-famous opera singer, was moved one day to hear his young son and friends talking. A boy is talking to his son and says, "Hey, my father is a very close friend of the mayor here, and we have lovely conversations with the mayor and we meet all the time." Then the son of Mr. Halberton, the opera singer, shrugged his shoulders and said, “Hey, don’t say that. My father is a friend of God who made heaven and earth and all things, and my father talks to God with us every day and gets closer to God. have been." that is said. Hearing that conversation, my father felt deeply moved in his heart. The son was so moved by his father's love for God and serving God that he boasted to his friends that he was close and close to God his Father.
Are you educating your children in the Bible to such an extent?
It happened in a small town in Massachusetts, USA.
A 14-year-old boy named William was a rough, naughty boy who had a very bad reputation in the community and could not teach at school. Moreover, he had a bad influence on many students, which was a big problem for the school authorities.
At that time, there was one new teacher.
This new teacher heard about William and offered to teach him.
All my fellow teachers stopped. I persuaded him not to touch it, as it would openly cause trouble.
However, the teacher began to analyze William's condition and character, observing him step by step. With kindness, understanding, and perseverance he guided William, who was branded as hopeless and acknowledged to be undoubtedly evil.
The teacher taught the naughty boy what love is. He taught me what good and evil were, and instilled true self-esteem and aspirations.
The teacher sowed seeds with tears. Finally, the sown seeds sprouted, took root in the ground, and began to grow.
Gradually, this boy broke the bad habit. And then I studied without sleeping at night. And he went to college. When I graduated from university, I graduated with honors with excellent grades.
William continued to study law. He eventually became an associate judge of the United States Supreme Court. He then became a U.S. senator and governor of New York State, and eventually ascended to the post of Secretary of State of the United States.
One person's sacrifice and love led him to become a criminal, tormenting many people, and raising a child who would cause parents' worries to become a wonderful person that everyone can admire.
This was possible because of the guidance of a teacher who saw the image of God in the child.
A gentleman was on his way to church when he saw four boys playing on the street. He zealously counseled these boys and took them to church to organize and teach Bible classes. Years passed and these boys grew up and left the village.
Four letters were read at the retirement and birthday celebration of this old teacher in 1932.
It was a congratulatory letter of thanks and congratulations from the first four students when the Bible class was organized. One from a Chinese missionary, the second from the Governor of the Federal Bank, the third from President Hoover's chief of staff, and the fourth from President Hoover himself.
A passion for Bible study that arose in a small, rural, nameless church in Iowa, produced great American leaders. I have no doubt that the teachings of such a faithful teacher were a wonderful foundation for cultivating the great spirit of a great president.
President Hoover, who led the United States from 1929 to 1933 during the most difficult period of the Great Depression as the 31st president, said, “The word of God has the power to overcome adversity.”
I thought of the words of Matthew 13:25 by grafting them into the perspective of children's education.
There, Jesus says, “while the people were asleep, the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat.”
We must not leave our children unattended. We must not allow Satan to sow tares in the children's hearts.
I should not leave my child blindly according to the world's educational method. Depending on what they sow in their heart, they can become a being that brings joy to God and people, or a being that afflicts people and becomes a source of concern for their parents.
In Japan, since the 1970s, school avoidance swept across the country due to hagwon violence and the so-called 'jime' epidemic in elementary and junior high schools. Shouldn't we be taking measures?" he shouted.
Humans should develop a good habit when they are young, by properly scolding and stinging them if necessary."
The purpose of education is to ‘fear God’.
It is to make people know the duty of man, to do the will of the Lord.
We will follow along.
“Teach a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Now, let's pray together with all our hearts, thinking about the words you gave us.