Even the Scripture says, “…of making many books there is no end…” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) And further, another rather incidental inference [to books] is when the Apostle John wrote, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” John 21:25

Personally I am glad there is no end to books. My thirst is quenched regularly when I root through the shelves of our several book resources. I can’t just say “book cases” because some of our bookcases are, pardon me, simply boxes with books in them. And really they are not boxes, per se but I have a couple old tough plastic milk cases once used by milk dealers (acquired legally I might add).

One such book is “Beyond Certainty”, by Charles Handy. That little book is slightly over 200 pages and is about six by nine inches. I picked up this little gem at a library sale in 2003 and it was nearly a repeat performance of Neil Postman’s philosophy about learning and education. I say “nearly” because Postman wrote several books and Handy’s little book only devoted a few pages to some of the ideas Postman used several books to milk the meaning out of those subjects.

Today I want to dip into Chapter Seven of Handy’s book and expound on the title: “Teach Your Children Well”. Biblical precepts are not difficult to find in the Scripture, especially the Old Testament where it says, “…teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (Deuteronomy 6:7)

In reality not many parents, I am afraid, use set times to teach their children and I am not sure but what God factored in that data, otherwise why would His Spirit inspire the writer to say, “…when thou sittest…walkest…liest down and risest up…” I was not raised in what is typically called, a Christian Home, but it was a home in the days when most mothers were in the house when we got out of school and that sole fact meant something to most of us kids. Unfortunately, many of us did not do a very good job of extending those observed lessons of practices and principles on to the next generation. But there is one area of teaching that will never be displaced or out of touch with any pedagogy – we teach by our actions.

Sow a thought, reap an action:
Sow an action, reap a habit;
Sow a habit, reap a character;
Sow a character and reap a destiny.

What kind of habit or activity are you teaching your children? I cannot vouch for anyone but myself and I personally know or need to admit that some of my actions lacked the depth needed to make lasting impressions on our children. But who cannot lay claim to such a confession? Our children will long remember how we reacted to specific circumstances longer than what we told them what to do. If any have some of the “bad habits” of cursing, swearing, drinking or smoking, it doesn’t matter how many times our children were told, “Don’t do as I do but do as I say,” they knew we were failures in certain areas. One of the many sad facts of life is to be oblivious to the accuracy of teaching by our examples. The most qualified pedagogue, in all candor, might easily overlook the reality of his pupils learning his tics and quirks instead of the lessons he has prepared.

If you would like to have your children (or grandchildren) be something, give them good examples rather than a litany or reams of lessons and precepts. The old axiom, “The eye makes a better pupil than the ear,” is not only a clever saying, it is the TRUTH!

THE WORDWRIGHT