Here's an excerpt from a letter in Field and Stream magazine, July 2009 (emphasis mine):

"I play fetch with my dog using tennis balls. Since I use my dog for hunting,every activity is some kind of training. To help my dog learn to use its nose to find dead or wounded game, I purchased quail scent, which I pour into a plastic tennis-ball container. Now you have a scented training tool for your dog. Throw the ball into different covers and watch your dog excel."

Now, I realize that our children are not animals. [Insert comic pause here.] And I realize that spiritually mentoring our children goes far beyond training mere Pavlovian responses. But I was struck with the idea that this hunter understands that "every activity is some kind of training." So it is with our children. In our society that promotes "vegging out" and encourages amusement, it may seem counter-culture, but the truth is that every activity with our children will teach them something. The question is not, "Does this teach?" but, "What does this teach?"

Family devotion time is great. But the specific pattern given in Scripture is:

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deut. 6:6-7)

Every encounter with media is a classroom for teaching a Biblical world view. I recently had a college student ask me in exasperation, "Do you analyze, like, everything?" Um. Yeah. Pretty much. Every story we read, every movie we watch, every TV show we laugh at together as a family becomes a platform to teach Biblical perspectives on life. My goal is not necessarily to shelter my children from every wrong influence. The Bible itself presents us with many negative examples. My goal is to give my children a best-odds chance at recognizing wrong philosophy and influences.

Every person we meet can teach us how to react in a Godly manner. Or they can teach us how NOT to respond in a carnal manner. Without being mean spirited we can discuss every encounter to remind our children how God expects us to live. Without gossiping we can point out wrong attitudes and actions in others. An "I'm ok; you're ok; we're all ok." attitude can be devastating to our children's attitudes toward their own shortcomings. Aren't you glad that the LORD was honest with us in Proverbs 7 when the narrator points out an encounter with a young man who is not spiritual?

For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding. (Proverbs 7:6,7)

Every circumstance of life is an opportunity to teach how to handle life's circumstances! When the car breaks down, we teach our children how to react to unexpected delays.

When we lose a loved one, we teach how to respond to change. When we are under pressure, we teach how to live in the power of the Holy Spirit, not just our own strength. Again the question is not, "Is my child learning by watching me react to this event in my life?" but, "WHAT is my child learning by watching me react to this event in my life?"

If the hunter that wrote into Field and Stream magazine thought his dog was worth the time and energy to make "every activity . . . some kind of training," don't our children deserve much more?

David Stertzbach II, B.A., M.Mus.
Music Pastor