Repeatedly, the book of Proverbs tells us that the primary objective of parents is to give their children wisdom (Proverbs 2:1-2, 4:1-13).
Wisdom is praised as the greatest treasure one can gain. Nothing desirable can compare with it; all other good gifts – happiness, honor, peace, long life, wealth – accompany wisdom. Wisdom is the special possession of the Lord who stores it up for His children. For these reasons the model father in Proverbs continually urges his son toward wisdom by saying, “seek it, love it, prize it, guard it, heed it”.
Imparting wisdom is a central objective, as teachers and staff stand temporarily in the place of the parent. We should never be content merely to pass on information or academic skills with no regard for how those things are to be used for God’s glory. Instruction that only furnishes the mind, making the student clever without cultivating godliness, has failed in the most serious way possible. The student has become an educated fool, doubly dangerous to himself and to others. Thus, our efforts must constantly be directed toward developing the following characteristics in students:
The Fear of God – Scripture tells us in several places that wisdom begins with the fear of God. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 1:7; 9:10.
This godly fear is a heart attitude of awe, worship, and thanks before God that brings forth obedience to His commands. Because it flows out of the heart or inner person, an individual must be regenerated by God’s Holy Spirit before he can truly fear God. This may seem to create a dilemma since instruction, even to begin to attain this objective, waits on something we have no power to do – give the student a new heart. Yet Scripture repeatedly commands parents (and so, TCA staff as well) to teach their children to fear God (Deuteronomy 4:10, 5:29; Psalms 34:7; Proverbs 2:5). We are to understand from this that the Holy Spirit normally works in and through people such as ourselves to bring salvation to others. Thus, we should teach the fear of God by precept and example, prayerfully relying on God’s concurrent action to change the student’s heart.
A Biblical Worldview – A worldview is the framework of beliefs about God, man, creation, human society, and history held by an individual. This framework shapes and holds together everything the individual claims to know. Because it is his/her basis of understanding or interpreting everything he/she notices or thinks about, a worldview can be compared to a set of eyeglasses through which a person sees himself and the world. Speaking of these matters, Christ says, “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23). The Biblical Worldview starts with the understanding that Scripture provides a normative guide for exploring academic subjects and topics, and conceptualizing the material world as well as the world of ideas. Our task is to make clear to the student the framework Scripture provides for each subject. We must sharpen the student’s discernment by training him/her in the work of sound thinking. Continually prod him to look beneath the surface of the statements and claims he/she encounters so that he/she may examine the underlying beliefs. By this practice, the student will gain experience in distinguishing right from wrong and in detecting the falsehoods that may lurk beneath impressive rhetoric.
The Skills of Life-long Learning – Because most of the student’s life will take place outside the bounds of formal schooling, most of his/her learning should be the result of self-teaching. If it is not, his/her learning will stop, or at best halt when no teacher takes him by the hand. For this reason, equipping the student to learn for him/herself should be a fundamental objective in all teaching. The student must master certain skills in order to be a life-long learner. These fall into two broad areas. First, the student must enjoy a thorough comprehension and command of communication skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Second, the student must be able to exhibit critical-thinking skills in research, logic, and ciphering, as well as in perceiving and coping with inference and ambiguity.
An Orientation toward Service in God’s Kingdom – In an environment as highly social as is a school, there are many opportunities for you to encourage the student toward acts of service and kindness. Students are also capable of performing tasks that would be welcome outside the school property, projects that benefit the church and/or the community. Scripture makes clear that everything a person does, not just those acts deemed religious by onlookers, can and should be performed as service to God (I Corinthians 10:31). Any work, if it is not against God’s Law and if it is carried out as unto the Lord, is service in God’s kingdom. For this reason, encourage your students to aggressively pursue their interests and aptitudes as they prepare for future employment. God has some sphere of activity that He wants each student to take in hand for His glory.
A Commitment to Excellence – Students are naturally inclined to travel easy paths, not challenging ones. But there is no easy path to excellence. Achieving it requires great patience and diligence. This truth will be reinforced in the classroom by maintaining high standards for all student work and behavior. Students will learn that excellence in self-discipline is well worth the cost it takes to achieve. Teachers will praise students as they progress; encourage and prod those who lag behind; reward the diligent. By doing so, this will help students internalize the standards to which we are holding them. They will come to have joy in a job well done and so prove to be highly valued and sought-after members of society. “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men” (Proverbs 22:29). More importantly, they will please the Lord by exercising good stewardship of His gifts.
No teacher or school completely shapes the character and mind of any of the students. They are persons, possessing minds and wills of their own that only God has the power to shape exactly as He wishes. Yet it is clear that God expects parents, and all those who instruct, to have great influence on children. “Train up a child in the way he should go and even when he is old he will not depart from it”(Proverbs 22:6). The ordinary way God extends the blessings of wisdom to each succeeding generation of young people is through the faithful instruction of parents and teachers.
Since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed? For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.” Genesis 18:18-19
