HOME TRAINING

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

A Call for Wholehearted Commitment

4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.


The phrase ‘home training’ generically refers to the lessons children learn at home, from their parents, about life and proper behavior. As we look at God’s instructions about ‘home training’, it begins first with the parents. They must be wholeheartedly committed to God and His commandments. That will enable them to teach these guideline … instructions … commandments … to their children. You can’t instill in your children’s hearts what you haven’t first embraced wholeheartedly in your own heart.

Children are sharp and very observant. They pick up on what is authentic in your life. They also recognize what is phony. Actions do speak louder than words!

How are you responding to God’s call for wholehearted commitment … with authenticity or phoniness? Your children are answering this for you.