And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
As we continue to pray throughout this month for Education, I want to bring us back to the original purpose of our educational system. It was to equip students with the tools they would need to become responsible, ethical, able, and contributing members of our society.
As the old song’s refrain puts it, “School days, school days, dear old golden rule days, Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic, taught to the tune of a hick'ry stick.” Schools taught the ‘Golden Rule’ from Matthew 7:13 as a foundation, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Educators then focused on core abilities like reading, writing, arithmetic, and history.
I’ve had several conversations with individuals in their 20’s and 30s over the last year or two, which have made me keenly aware of how little our history is impacting their lives – and how short our collective memory is as a nation. The perspective that they’ve shared with me is that they don’t believe that other generations have had to face the types of challenges that they have. Many are struggling. In some ways, they’re right. The challenges are different, but because I grew up with grandparents who lived through World War I, raised their families during the Great Depression, and then saw their children and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren go off to fight in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam – I have a very different perspective.
It might not be quite the same, but other generations have been challenged in very difficult circumstances and still made it! God preserved them – and will preserve this generation, if they turn to Him. We must pray for them, because they are the ‘now’ generation teaching our grandchildren and great grandchildren. This type of dialogue is critical, and it gives us the opportunity to have meaningful conversations. As we reason together, we learn more about their struggles and how to better pray for and encourage them.
God’s people were much the same as we are. When they were too far removed from the experience, they lost perspective and eventually turned away from God’s ways. When they turned away, they neglected to teach their children, who neglected to teach their children, and so on. It doesn’t take long for a nation’s perspective to change, nor for us to lose our way. As the old saying goes, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
As we continue to pray into education and for our educators and our students, let’s also pray for opportunities for God to use us in their lives. Let’s become intentional about entering into those meaningful conversations with our kids and grandkids. Education is not just about what is taught in school but is also about what is caught as we talk and ‘walk by the way’ together.
Father God, As we reflect on Your words from Deuteronomy 6, we are reminded of the importance of keeping Your commands in our hearts and diligently teaching them to our children. Grant us the wisdom and desire to engage in meaningful conversations with our children and grandchildren, sharing our experiences and learning from theirs.
May Your truths be ever present in our lives, guiding our actions and decisions. Let us be examples of Your love and wisdom, teaching and living out Your commandments in every aspect of our lives – when we sit in our homes, when we walk by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise up. May Your words be a constant reminder to us, written on our hearts and displayed in our homes.
Bless our educators with patience, insight, and a heart for teaching. Bless our students with a love for learning and an understanding of the importance of history and the values that have shaped our society. Help us all to remember and honor the lessons of the past, so that we may build on them in the future.
In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Rejoicing in Hope,
Dion Elmore
Vice President