The Moment They Have Gone Away...

What is the most important thing to you for your children? Mine is that when all is said and done, when all the time I have been blessed with for having them by my side to raise and teach them, that the moment they have gone away from the nest, they will not turn away from the Lord.

I have learned that being careful in what we choose to have set before our eyes and ears, helps.

Have you ever studied and contrasted the Pagan Idea of Man and the Biblical Idea of Man in literature? I find that as I go through the lessons with our son, Scientist, certain aspects are new to me. This is for his 8th grade English lesson, mind you, and it is fabulously in depth.

Original Photo by Maria Reyes-McDavis via Flickr Creative Commons

Does that quote resonate within you? It does with me. Christian Principles... obtained from the Bible of course... help people to find liberty. This is why I absolutely love teaching with Bible Principles in each subject and in all areas of life; doing so helps us to put into practice what we are learning.

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(I added the text.)

You see, some books have enslaved men. Think of the ideas presented by Karl Marx and humanist textbooks. Whereas, some books have been instrumental in helping people to obtain freedom: John Locke and Montesquieu, for example. (Naturally, the Bible is the greatest of all.)

 

C.S. Lewis goes on to say:

"I believe that any Christian who is qualified to write a good popular book on any science may do much more by that than by any directly apologetic work. We can make people (often) attend to the Christian point of view for half an hour or so; But the moment they have gone away from our lecture or laid down our article, they are plunged back into a world where the opposite position is taken for granted."

God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics.
Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1970, p. 93.

His words make me think of when going to church and listening... but not reading and studying the Word for ourselves to gain understanding and to make sure it is correct doctrine. After service, we are plunged back into the world... a culture heavy laden with pagan ideas which we are surprisingly influenced by. However, if we do take on the individual responsibility to read the Bible, to learn in context what the Lord's teachings are, to love them, and put them into practice, we will be much better guarded against the pagan culture we are surrounded with.

They also make me think of the plethora of literature and curricula out there. A great deal of ideas are contending with the Bible's teachings. So, even if I or my children read classics and other works or using the latest curricula, how are they bringing us back around to the principles of the Bible? 

Now, let's consider the side of the author. In order to write worthy literature, curricula, music, media that is truly Bible based, we ourselves need to be putting into practice Christian self-government. That is to say that our words we put down on paper- our messages- need to relate to being governed under Christ (Yeshua). In doing so, we then offer materials that bless our readers.

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Yes. Let's write/read excellent books and discuss them. Let's create/use a variety of curricula. But let's go deeper and hold up ideas, attitudes and actions up in the light of Scripture. Let's really test them against Scripture to see if they are correct... and if they are something we are to emulate, follow or agree with. Let's challenge ourselves and teach our children to do the same. Let us be like the Bereans mentioned in Acts 17:10, 11: "...in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." KJV Let's practice (even in these areas) to take captive every thought!

 "The first step to reconversion of a country is books produced by Christians."

~C.S. LewisGod in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics.
Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1970, p. 93.

As I reflect more on the thought by C.S. Lewis that, "The key to converting a nation to liberty is through the written word," I can't help but think that most of us limit "the written word" to literature. However, I think it ties in with music, films, the arts, audio books/dramas, etc. They all begin with thoughts... words... then written words on sheet music, scripts, etc. 

I recently learned from My friend Keri Mae and her husband Tom at A Happy Home Media about Captivated: Finding Freedom in a Media Captive Culture. The goal is to consider how to live wisely among all of the media options we are saturated with vs. being controlled and consumed by them. I'd like to encourage you to listen to the podcast interview in which Keri Mae and Tom talk with Phillip Telfer of Captivated and consider what he has to share.

Ultimately, I think that if we are not careful to choose our friends among books/media- as we ought to with people- we can easily have our eyes, hearts and minds diverted from the ways of Yahweh (God). Our conscience is the most sacred of all property, and it can become dulled by what we expose ourselves to... or it can be kept sensitive to Yeshua's teachings... void of offense towards God and towards men. This is what I pray our children embrace, so that the moment they have gone away from the nest, it stays with them for life.

Tell me, what are you thoughts about this subject? Are there subjects you would like to learn how to teach Bible Principles? If so, what are they?

Blessings,