Teachers Training

Mark 10:13-14 gives the account of where Jesus was busy ministering to the needs of adults when some mothers brought their children to Jesus to be blessed.  The Disciples wanted to chase them away, but Jesus was displeased with them and said:

"Let the little children to come unto Me,
and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God."

Jesus then showed His great love for children by taking them into His arms and blessing them.  Children were also used by Jesus as examples of how we should be openly receptive to Spiritual things.  Mark 10:15 says:

"Whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child,
he shall not enter therein."

Children are not only important in themselves, but they are very important to God!

Children often come from broken homes or from homes where they are neglected and unloved.  There is thus a great need to teach them about the love and friendship of God through Jesus our Lord.  In years past, one could teach them that, "God is our Father, and that He loves us dearly."  This was based on the family, which is patterned around God's in Heaven!  The family was set up in Adam and Eve's life by God with the intention that all families that followed would share the blessings and relationships that develop in a true, God-like family.

However, one of the devil's devices is to see that there is a fast and ever increasing breakup of modern day families.  The role of many modern fathers no longer matches that of our Heavenly Father.  Often the home is strained and children do not respect their parents.  With so many broken homes, often the father may be to blame and may earn the hatred of his children.

To reach such children it is necessary to show them the love of Christ through our lives.  They must learn to trust us as teachers and pastors.  Through sharing the Bible with them, they will come to see that God is not a threat, Someone to hate, or be disrespected.

Our teaching needs to start by endeavouring to gain their friendship.  This will then provide us with opportunities to guide then with Godly principles.  We need to seek to be very sensitive to the moving and prompting of the Holy Spirit.  He will then use us to reach out to the child in true love and friendship.  The child will then see Jesus in us and will learn to trust us, and through this learn to trust Jesus as his or her Saviour.

With the negative view of fathers, we have found it necessary to emphasise that Jesus is our Best Friend.  After children have given their lives to Jesus, we teach them that Jesus is their Best Friend, Saviour and Lord.  When children are assured of their Salvation, the door is opened to God being their Best Friend.  And now that Jesus lives in their hearts, they have become God's beloved children and thus have the right to call Him, "Father".

As teachers, we have a duty to teach and help children see that God is not a threat, or someone to hate, or be disrespected.  Psalms 78:4 says:

"We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
His power, and the wonders that He has done."

Only the Holy Spirit can break down the bitterness and hate that can develop in families.  One of the Holy Spirit's tasks is to soften their spirits so that they will come to the point where they will accept Jesus as Saviour.  As teachers, claim that wonderful promise in Proverbs 22:6 which instructs us to:

"Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it."

May the love of God constrain you and fill your heart with an urgent desire to draw children into the Family of God!

God bless!