by Donna | Feb 2, 2011
It is written in the Bible! Proverbs 22:6 tells us to “train up a child in the way he should go.” (We will study that verse in more depth in the coming weeks.) Ephesians 6:4 tells us that children are given to us to “raise in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
And then there is an interesting verse in I Timothy that tells us that training our children in our homes is actually a pre-requisite for leading in the church. I Timothy 3:4 says, “He (an elder) must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect.”
We are following the Lord’s admonition to raise our children for Him when we train our kids in godly character. Furthermore, we are learning how to lead others—and qualifying ourselves for leadership in other areas (specifically in the church). That’s why we should train our children in godly character and biblical living!
by Donna | Feb 1, 2011
Twenty-seven years ago, when we had a little one year old son and were homeschooling my junior high sister, we went to our very first “character” training workshop by Ron and Rebekah Coriell. It was a one hour session at a homeschool seminar. The Coriells were an amazing family with three sweet, adorable little girls who recited verses and character traits with so much charm they just melted the listeners’ hearts. And they definitely melted mine.
The thing I remember the most about that session was a story that Rebekah (the mother) told the group about her little seven year old. This daughter was in line for lunch at her Christian school when she told her friend that she wished she could have chocolate milk that day instead of white milk, but she could only have chocolate one day a week and she had already had it that week. Her friend encouraged her to disobey, saying, “Your mom will never know.”
And this little girl’s answer was the beginning of my desire to raise children with godly character: “My mom will not know, but God will.”
The Coriells had built within their daughter a significant “moral bank”—a place where deposits of biblical training and character lessons were frequently made. A bank of which this little girl had learned to draw from in various scenarios—even at the young age of seven years.
And thus began my twenty-seven year quest (so far!) to train my children in godly character and virtue. To attempt, with God’s help and leading and my husband’s partnering, to raise sons and daughters who understand that God always knows—and even moreso, to desire to please the God who knows with their life choices and character.
by Donna | Jan 28, 2011
If Christian character is “living the way the Bible says to live (loving, kind, helpful, pure, responsible, selfless, compassionate, etc.)” and “exhibiting Christian character is fulfilling Scriptures that have to do with the Christ-following lifestyle, specifically the ‘one anothers’ of Scripture; verses dealing with how we treat people; etc,” then character training is training children to live in those ways. That is, training them to live biblically—as loving, kind, responsible, resourceful, helpful, compassionate, selfless, empathetic, wise people.
Christian character training will have as its goal to train children to become “adults who love God first, others second, and self last—and who walk this out in their daily lives.”
Why? The why is coming in the next few days.
How? Some ideas on how will follow in February. Thanks for joining us!
by Donna | Jan 27, 2011
Looking at Christian character from a biblical standpoint, it would be safe to say, rather simplistically, that “Christian character is living the way the Bible says to live (loving, kind, helpful, pure, responsible, selfless, compassionate, etc.).”
“’Bad’ character is living in a way opposite to what the Bible says, but similarly to what our natural man, or sin nature, (and our world most of the time) says—looking out for number one; selfish; impure; etc.).”
In this way, exhibiting Christian character is fulfilling Scriptures that have to do with the Christ-following lifestyle, specifically the “one anothers” of Scripture; verses dealing with how we treat people; etc., including, but not limited to, the following types of verses:
“ … love your neighbor as yourself … “ Mark 12:31 NJKV.
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12 NIV.
“In love of the brethren, be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one to another” Romans 12:10 ASV.
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so” Proverbs 3:27 NKJV.
Thanks for joining us. Tomorrow we continue the 5 W’s of Character Training in the Christian home with “What is character training?”
by Donna | Jan 26, 2011
“Character is how you act over and over again when you think only your family is looking.”
One definition of character that shows us that character is simply qualities (good or bad) that a person exhibits is “The combination of qualities, or features that distinguishes one person, group, or thing from another.” Thus, when we think of character, we should consider that a person could have good “qualities or features” or bad “qualities or features.”
Our personal favorite “real” definition (as opposed to the ones we make up!) is “the stable and distinctive qualities built into an individual’s life that determine his or her responses regardless of circumstances.” The last three words point to our teaching of character training in the Christian family. That is, that a person’s true character (good or bad qualities) will be revealed in various situations—and the qualities that the individual is “characterized by” (or known for) are those that are exhibited over and over again, regardless of what situation he or she finds himself in.
Of course, there are maxims for character everywhere with the popular one being “Character is what you are like when you think nobody is looking.” In our belief that character is formed within the walls of the home and in the midst of the familial relationships, our maxim differs somewhat from that one: “Character is how you act over and over again when you think only your family is looking.”
In other words, how you behave in your own home over and over again—how you treat your siblings, your children, and your spouse; what types of responses you have to the situations you find yourself in; etc., are truly what you are like. These are the qualities that you are “characterized by,” or known by (at least by those who see you when others do not).
The whole idea of being “characterized by” something is important to note in the character training of our children. When someone mentions one of my children, the qualities that he or she mentions (or at least thinks) are those qualities that my child is “characterized by.” We tell our children that they will never be perfect—and we do not expect perfection. However, they should be “characterized by” (or known by) good qualities rather than bad.
In that regard, character is “the qualities that you are ‘characterized by’ within your own home.” And the goal in Christian parenting should be to raise children who are “characterized by” exhibiting the character of Jesus Christ at home (primarily) and everywhere (eventually)—because they are first and foremost, followers of Jesus Christ.
Follow us this year for a year of character training help. Believe it or not, we really do have a year’s worth of things to say about character training! Smile…Think of it as “Character Training Workshop in Ten or Fifteen Minutes a Day”! Thanks for joining us!
by Donna | Jan 21, 2011
“Character is what you are like when only your family is looking!”
Coming up next week: Diving into character training for children! We will go in this order throughout the year, for those wanting a certain topic or age group:
1. General character training—for a month or so
2. Starting Out Right—the Four Essential Qualities for Toddlers
3. Character Qualities for Pre-schoolers
4. Character for Kids—ages 5-8
5. More Character for Kids—ages 6-10
6. Tweens Can Have Good Character!
7. So Can Teens!
Think of it as “Character Training Workshop in Ten or Fifteen Minutes a Day”! Thanks for joining us!
