Articles
A Lesson Learned
When I was about eight years old, I was helping my dad paint a lattice fence. He told me to start at the top and work down from there, due to drips. As we worked, an older gentleman walked by and advised my dad to paint from the top down. My dad listened politely to what he had to say. After the man left, I asked why he didn’t tell the man he already knew that. He wisely explained that it gave the old man pleasure to offer some useful advice. My dad wasn’t about to detract from that pleasure.
And so I learned two things that day: 1) how to paint a fence, and 2) how to treat people with kindness and respect. I may never paint another fence (and I hope I don’t), but I do deal with people every day. Being sensitive to others’ feelings and needs is such a valuable trait. My dad both taught and demonstrated this quality.
There is so much that children need to know. Here’s where parents come in. Using God’s word as the curriculum, little by little moms and dads can mold their children’s thinking (Gen. 18:19; Ex. 10:2; 12:26-27; 13:8, 13-14; Deut. 4:9-10; 6:6-7, 20-25; 11:19; 32:46; Josh. 4:6-7; Ps. 78:5-6; Eph. 6:4). This is God’s design. The right words reinforced by the right example is an unbeatable combination. Tell it and show it. And do it consistently.
Some parents may say the right words but then don’t live by what they say. Others may set a good example but fail to verbalize their faith. And some parents neither teach the way nor live it. Pity their children!
It’s both sobering and encouraging to realize that what we say and what we do can make such a profound impact on young minds. Little ones listen and observe. My dad might have been pleasantly surprised to know that what he said and did at the fence that day, brief as it was, would stick in my mind for more than fifty years! And here I am sharing the story with you.
You just never know!
