God instructs us to place value on teaching children to know and love Him.
- These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. – Deuteronomy 6:6-7
- People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. — Mark 10:13-16
- Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them. — Proverbs 13:24
Moments of discipline offer the opportunity to teach a child that God disciplines us because He loves us and that, as parents, we do the same for our children.
God wants parents to teach their children about Him—to leave God’s wisdom as an inheritance. God specifically commanded the Israelites to teach their children all He had done for them. He wanted the future generations to have the greatest inheritance—godly wisdom! When parents fail in this crucial assignment, society quickly declines. That’s one reason why there are so many Bible verses about teaching children.