The story is told of an unmarried (and childless) professor of child psychology who taught a seminar that he confidently called, “Ten Commandments for Parents.” Then he got married and became a father.  After a year of fatherhood, he changed the seminar title to “Ten Guidelines for Parents.” Three years later, a second child came. The seminar was once again renamed: “Some Suggestions to Parents.” After his third son was born, the professor stopped teaching the seminar altogether.

God didn’t give us children then leave us with no direction as to what to teach them. The foundation of being a good parent begins long before we actually become one (Deuteronomy 6:1-5). We begin by loving and fearing God (v.5) and by wholeheartedly obeying His commands (v.6). God has made the family home the place for teaching His Word. You’re to “repeat [God’s Word] again and again to your children” (v.7). More than just teaching the Bible to children, parents are to live out its truth before their kids (vv.7-9).

If we don’t know God’s Word (Deuteronomy 17:19, 31:12-13), we won’t be able to teach it. If we don’t love and fear God, we can’t model that to our children. We simply can’t give what we ourselves do not possess   (2 Timothy 1:13-14; Titus 1:9).

One day a child might ask you: “Where is God?” or  “Who is Jesus?” Answers like, “Go ask your mom” or “I don’t know” won’t do.  We need to be ready to talk with our children about God (Deuteronomy 6:7-9) and to tell them the story of how God saved us from our sin (vv.21-23). Leading your own children to believe in Jesus is the duty and privilege of every parent.