# Sharpened Words for Little Ones Language: en Author: \-\-The editors Original issue: The Heartbeat of The Remnant, May/June 2001, Number 3 Source pages: 19–20 Read article: Original PDF: 2001\-05\-remnant\.pdf [The Heartbeat of The Remnant, May/June 2001]() ![Three children in a circular illustration\.]() *Dear parents,* *Welcome to Sharpened Words for Little Ones\. This section of the Remnant is specially designed to help all the parents better fulfill God’s command to teach our children\. You will notice that this section is laid out in such a way that you can cut it out before the children get to it\. We have done this so that the fathers can use the ideas in family devotions\. We have learned that the more you think like a teacher, the more you will become one\. In other words, put on the mind of a teacher\. These suggestions are given to help you do just that\. In Isaiah 28:9\-10 we have a beautiful instructive word for parents\.* > ***Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? > Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts\. > For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; > Line must be upon line, line upon line; > Here a little, and there a little\.\.\.\.*** *These words describe so clearly the duties of parents concerning the word\. How can we do this, unless we find ways to sharpen the word of God? We must break it down into a form that is easily understood by the little ones\. They can receive it, or else God would not have told us to teach them even when they are very young\.* ***May the Lord make you a Teacher*** *\-\-The editors* ## Current Events Let me explain this one just a bit\. Many times there are different current events that provide a teachable moment in family devotions\. It could be anything—a presidential election, or some natural disaster\-anything that draws us to a scriptural principle\. I use these to make Bible applications to a real world\. Maybe some foolish boys have been out smashing mailboxes; teach on it\. Maybe the police found some young girls out late at night; find some verses and teach on that\. Once you get alert to the opportunities that you have using current events, you will see them everywhere\. Every generation of fathers and mothers must give practical applications of the word of God to the next generation\. Each generation grows up in a different world than the previous one\. This has never been so true as it is today\. The world is changing so fast\. ## Beware of the Whisper To get everyones attention, start out your devotional time whispering\. Each time you call a song, or make a comment, do it in a whisper\. Children are very familiar with whispering, but do not know the dangers that are hidden in it\. Once you have their interest and curiosity engaged, open to the several verses in the Bible on this subject and read them\. Most of them are warning signs of danger and evil\. Telling and keeping secrets is taboo for children\. At our house you never keep a secret from Mom and Dad\. Secrets are usually told in a whisper; people change the tone of their voice when they are going to tell you something they don’t want you to tell\. When someone is going to tell you some story about someone else, they will usually lower their voice as they begin to tell you the evil report\. Children can be taught to be alert to these dangers\. Another danger with whispering is when they are trying to get you to sneak off and do something that you shouldn’t do\. Usually the person with the evil motive will lower the voice to a whisper\. It is good at this time in your teaching, to give them some practical ways to stop what is happening, or how to get away from the situation\. Your child needs some help in this, they are young\. Remember, real life is a training ground for the little ones\. ## Traveling the Road to Heaven This is a good vacation devotion if you are near a small mountain where you can go on a hike or a climb\. The children love this kind of family activity\. This is teaching “by the way,” according to Deuteronomy 6\. In the morning, as you begin your vacation day, find several verses in the Bible that describe the Christian life as a journey, a race, and something hard\. Hebrews 12 is a good one, as well as Matthew 7\. After you have taught the principle to them, explain the plan for a family hike up the mountain\. They will be very excited\. Let them know ahead of time, that we want to learn some practical lessons about the Christian life while we climb the mountain\. As you begin, tell the children that heaven is at the top of the mountain\. The beautiful view at the top is a great reward\. There are many relating points all along the way\. I will leave them up to your imagination\. You will meet other people who made it to the top\. They will encourage you to keep going, even though you are tired, because the sight at the top is worth it\. You will meet people who stopped short of the top, because it was too much for them\. They will give you expressions that will be very teachable\. When you get to the top \(and you will get to the top, won’t you?\) spend a good amount of time gazing out over the beautiful sights, and talking about heaven\. ## The Use of the Rod After you have gathered the family and had a time of singing, when the children are expecting you to open your Bible and teach, rise up and leave the room for a moment\. Return to the room with a rope, and whatever you use to spank your children\. Grab one of the smaller children and tie them up really well on the floor, so they cannot get up\. Have them try a few times\. Open your Bible to Proverbs\. “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it far from him\.” Take some time and talk about the results of this foolishness, and the misery of needing to be free from it\. All the children will relate to this misery if they are honest\. Describe the freedom that comes when the foolishness is driven away and move into a teaching on the blessings of getting a spanking\. This may seem odd to you at first, but you can train the children to love and appreciate a spanking and the benefits that come from them\. This is the time to do it, when no one is getting one\. You can enlighten their heart’s understanding so that they will begin to perceive when they need correction\. Hold the rod in your hand so they can see it while you speak of it in positive tones\. Emphasize that other forms of punishment will not do what a spanking will do\. List some of them, such as strong words, standing in the corner, etc\. If you want to really end on a meaningful note for the one that is still tied up, ask the children how do we get this child free from his present bondage\. They will probably say spank him\. This will get a laugh out of most except the one on the floor\.