Back to School

Back to school. I remember it well from when I was a kid. Decorating notebooks and picking out backpacks, wishing the lazy days of summer wouldn’t have to end, and yet excited to see all my friends again.

Now that I am a parent, “back to school” takes on a different meaning. All that shopping is stressful, the school paperwork is daunting, and there’s a part of me that’s excited to see my child get on that school bus just so I can have some peace and quiet! I thank God for teachers and their gift to students and parents alike.

But, wait a minute. When it comes to teaching my child, whose job really is it? According to the Bible, it’s mine. “Train up a child in the way he should go…” (Proverbs 22:6) is a commandment to parents, not teachers. Ouch! God’s school year isn’t nine months long, either. It’s every day of the year.

The good news is that God pairs that commandment with a promise. When I take responsibility for teaching my child – not just ABCs, but values and life skills – then God says “…and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

No matter where our children go to school, we all have a part to play. What a joy it is to know that each teachable moment will impact their future in a very big way!

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” – Ephesians 6:4

“All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.” – Isaiah 54:13