by Prince Jeyaraj
These are 10 essential truths that are missed out on people who deal with children. As a grown up adult I now think that following would enable the children to walk in Godliness and closer to God. I believe you would also agree with me as you go through this article.
1. BE GODLYA Child Care Worker needs to know Godly life is very vital, because this is one of the first character a Child looks at, Godly simply means, the nature of God should be built within.
In Proverbs 12:7 the Bible says, “The wicked perish and are gone, but the children of the godly stand firm.” The verse starts talking about the wicked and at the end talks on the children of the godly rather than the godly themselves. If I would have written the proverb, I would have written like wise, “The wicked perish and are gone, but the godly stand firm” I think it is very natural to write like this. But it says children of the godly stand firm. If Child Care Workers are godly then the children will stand firm. This is something, which was mentioned, in the previous article “SERVING THE GREATEST”
Godliness in personal life will do enough make the children stand firm. It relies more on the Godliness than do anything with the Children, Set the life right to be Godly, that would make the children stand firm.
Am I Godly?
2. BE AN EXAMPLEAction speaks louder than words; the above statement is a familiar statement. It does not need any explanation on that. This is a character all the child workers should possess. A child keenly watches all our moves. I remember an event that took place during my school days, it was the usual class room, a teacher walks in takes class and starts giving instructions and advice for us. No one is that very happy listening to the advice. Immediately a friend sitting next to me responded like to me, Prince We know about this staff, why should we be doing what he is says. This response generated since the staff was leading an exemplary life.
In Matthew 23:1-3 the scripture says, “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples. The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the Scriptures. So practice and obey whatever they say to you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach."
These were Jesus words on Pharisees and teachers of the law. Their laws were not bad, so Jesus said practice them, but don’t follow their example. As teachers of law for children, practice and obey before teaching the children.
In 1 Corinthians 4:16 the scripture says, “So I ask you to follow my example and do as I do.” And in 1 Corinthians 11:1 the scripture again says, “And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ’s.”
Why did Paul say, “Follow my example”? Paul wasn’t being arrogant, he did not think of himself as sinless. At this time, however, the Corinthian believers did not know much about the life and ministry of Christ. Paul could not tell them to imitate Jesus because the Gospels had not yet been written, so they did not know what Jesus was like. The best way to point these new Christians to Christ was to point them to a Christian whom they trusted. Similarly the children might not know who is Jesus? And you should be their Christian whom they trust.
Is my life an example?
3. BE A SERVANT
In John chapter 13, Jesus washes the feet of the disciples and in verses 13 to 15 He goes onto to say, “You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because it is true. And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”
It was amazing to see Jesus washing the feet or bending so low, leaving his reputation of being their teacher.
A question ponder, are we be willing to wash the feet or bend low, leaving our ego, prestige and serve the little ones when they are so shabby and dirty. Sometimes it is so hard to touch a little child, since the nose will be dripping, the legs full of sand. Jesus served his children i.e. disciples. They were not educated. They were ordinary people. Realistically speaking, they must have been like village people of today.
Am I ready to serve the little ones?
4. BE FIRM
Child Care Workers should also be firm, when dealing with children. Shaky wobbly and unsteady workers cannot contribute to the growth of the child. Let your yes be yes and no by no. I heard an incident, from one of my friends few months ago. There was a child, who needed an ice cream, the child went to her mum and asked, mum said no, the child was very upset and tried to persuade mum by all means, please ma, please ma, but even then the child could not succeed, finally the child decides to cry and immediately the mum thinks to buy an ice cream. This gave a picture to the child, mum is always flexible, and from then the child for every need cries to mum. Well this might happen or it already happening in many of the homes.
In Hebrews 12:12 & 13 the Bible says, “So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong.”
We might not be very perfect, even then we need to stand firm, since the scripture says, those who follow us, i.e. the children will stumble and fall, if we are going to be shaky wobbly in our decisions and dealings. It will be stumbling block for the children, who look at us to follow.
Am I Firm? Or Am I shaky wobbly?
5. BE AN ENCOURAGER
In 1 Thessalonians 5:14 we read, “Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.”
Children might not be lazy. I always believe they are bunch of active beings. Encourage the timid (Children), don’t yell at the timid and weak; encourage and help them. At times it’s difficult to distinguish between idleness and timidity. Two people may be doing nothing—one out of laziness and the other out of shyness or fear of doing something wrong. The key to ministry is sensitivity: sensing the condition of each person and offering the appropriate remedy for each situation. You can’t effectively help until you know the problem. You can’t apply the medicine until you know where the wound is.
In 2 Timothy 4:2 we read, “Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.” Encouragement is not only some complimenting a child, but encouragement can also be done through good and creative teaching. Most of the child workers don’t adapt to creativity and follow old primitive methods. Children feel boredom attending school or Sunday school.
In Hebrews 10:24 we read, “Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.” Let the encouragement be an outburst of love, not just a responsibility, oh I am supposed to do this. Let it over flow of love and good deeds.
In Titus 2:6 & 15, the scripture says, “In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely in all they do.” ”You must teach these things and encourage your people to do them, correcting them when necessary. You have the authority to do this, so don’t let anyone ignore you or disregard what you say.”
Am I an encourager?
6. BE A RECOGNIZER & APPRECIATORRecognition and appreciation is something every human being longs for. Like wise the children too desire will there be anyone to recognize and appreciate them. Appreciate them publicly. Many leaders fail to recognize and appreciate the ones who are under them or under the care. I had couple of leaders walking upto me and asking, Prince we never knew you had these potentials. This was a remark they made after knowing me for few years. Is it fault of the leader or me?
It is very strange to quote this verse from Isaiah 1:3, but that’s what the scripture says, “Even the animals—the donkey and the ox—know their owner and appreciate his care, but not my people Israel. No matter what I do for them, they still do not understand.” When animals could appreciate their owner, why not as child workers appreciate the children under their care. Most of the time we behave like the people of Israel.
Recognize and appreciate for what they are? That will be a boast in their life to do things much better.
Am I recognizing my child’s potentials and appreciating?
7. DO NOT CONDEMNThe very nature of God can be understood in John 3:17 that, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” If God sent his son not to condemn, then why as children worker we condemn the children instead of saving them
In James 4:12 we read, “God alone, who made the law, can rightly judge among us. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to condemn your neighbor?” There is no right for us to condemn anyone.
Do I condemn?
8. DO NOT BOSS OVER
This is something all would love to do, boss over. In 1 Peter 5:3 the scriptures, it is clearly says “Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your good example”
Give the children freedom, do not dominate them. Let them have free will to make choices, only then they can know discern to chose right from wrong. Children should be allowed to make their own decisions and let not the child worker decide for the child.
Am I bossing over?
9. DO NOT AGGRAVATE
As Children workers, we should never ever aggravate, annoy, irritate, get on their nerve, pester, provoke and anger the children.
In Colossians 3:21 we read, “Fathers, don’t aggravate your children. If you do, they will become discouraged and quit trying.” Do not fan the flames of when children are feeling low and discouraged. The scriptures say, children will become discouraged and quit trying. It is not they can be discouraged or they many be discouraged but they will be discouraged.
Also in Ephesians 6:4 we read “And now a word to you fathers. Don’t make your children angry by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord.” Children must be handled with care. They need firm discipline administered in love. Don’t aggravate them by nagging, deriding, or destroying their self-respect so that they quit trying.
Am I getting on their nerves and making them angry?
10. DISCIPLINE OUT OF LOVE
Proverbs 13:24 says, “If you refuse to discipline your children, it proves you don’t love them; if you love your children, you will be prompt to discipline them.”
The purpose of discipline is to help children grow, not to annoy and provoke them to anger or discouragement. Child-care is not easy, it takes lots of patience to deal with children in a loving, Christ-honoring manner. But frustration and anger should not be causes for discipline. Instead, the Child worker should act in love, treating their children as Jesus treats the people he loves.
Sometimes when children misbehave, there always a tendency not to correct them, since a tag called “They are Children” is built. But the scripture is very specific that if there is refusal from the child worker to discipline, then it proves children are not loved.
These are 10 essential truths that are missed out on people who deal with children. As a grown up adult I now think that following would enable the children to walk in Godliness and closer to God. I believe you would also agree with me as you go through this article.
1. BE GODLYA Child Care Worker needs to know Godly life is very vital, because this is one of the first character a Child looks at, Godly simply means, the nature of God should be built within.
In Proverbs 12:7 the Bible says, “The wicked perish and are gone, but the children of the godly stand firm.” The verse starts talking about the wicked and at the end talks on the children of the godly rather than the godly themselves. If I would have written the proverb, I would have written like wise, “The wicked perish and are gone, but the godly stand firm” I think it is very natural to write like this. But it says children of the godly stand firm. If Child Care Workers are godly then the children will stand firm. This is something, which was mentioned, in the previous article “SERVING THE GREATEST”Godliness in personal life will do enough make the children stand firm. It relies more on the Godliness than do anything with the Children, Set the life right to be Godly, that would make the children stand firm.
Am I Godly?
2. BE AN EXAMPLEAction speaks louder than words; the above statement is a familiar statement. It does not need any explanation on that. This is a character all the child workers should possess. A child keenly watches all our moves. I remember an event that took place during my school days, it was the usual class room, a teacher walks in takes class and starts giving instructions and advice for us. No one is that very happy listening to the advice. Immediately a friend sitting next to me responded like to me, Prince We know about this staff, why should we be doing what he is says. This response generated since the staff was leading an exemplary life.
In Matthew 23:1-3 the scripture says, “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples. The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the Scriptures. So practice and obey whatever they say to you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach."
These were Jesus words on Pharisees and teachers of the law. Their laws were not bad, so Jesus said practice them, but don’t follow their example. As teachers of law for children, practice and obey before teaching the children.
In 1 Corinthians 4:16 the scripture says, “So I ask you to follow my example and do as I do.” And in 1 Corinthians 11:1 the scripture again says, “And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ’s.”
Why did Paul say, “Follow my example”? Paul wasn’t being arrogant, he did not think of himself as sinless. At this time, however, the Corinthian believers did not know much about the life and ministry of Christ. Paul could not tell them to imitate Jesus because the Gospels had not yet been written, so they did not know what Jesus was like. The best way to point these new Christians to Christ was to point them to a Christian whom they trusted. Similarly the children might not know who is Jesus? And you should be their Christian whom they trust.
Is my life an example?
3. BE A SERVANT
In John chapter 13, Jesus washes the feet of the disciples and in verses 13 to 15 He goes onto to say, “You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because it is true. And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”
It was amazing to see Jesus washing the feet or bending so low, leaving his reputation of being their teacher.
A question ponder, are we be willing to wash the feet or bend low, leaving our ego, prestige and serve the little ones when they are so shabby and dirty. Sometimes it is so hard to touch a little child, since the nose will be dripping, the legs full of sand. Jesus served his children i.e. disciples. They were not educated. They were ordinary people. Realistically speaking, they must have been like village people of today.
Am I ready to serve the little ones?
4. BE FIRM
Child Care Workers should also be firm, when dealing with children. Shaky wobbly and unsteady workers cannot contribute to the growth of the child. Let your yes be yes and no by no. I heard an incident, from one of my friends few months ago. There was a child, who needed an ice cream, the child went to her mum and asked, mum said no, the child was very upset and tried to persuade mum by all means, please ma, please ma, but even then the child could not succeed, finally the child decides to cry and immediately the mum thinks to buy an ice cream. This gave a picture to the child, mum is always flexible, and from then the child for every need cries to mum. Well this might happen or it already happening in many of the homes.
In Hebrews 12:12 & 13 the Bible says, “So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong.”
We might not be very perfect, even then we need to stand firm, since the scripture says, those who follow us, i.e. the children will stumble and fall, if we are going to be shaky wobbly in our decisions and dealings. It will be stumbling block for the children, who look at us to follow.
Am I Firm? Or Am I shaky wobbly?
5. BE AN ENCOURAGER
In 1 Thessalonians 5:14 we read, “Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.”
Children might not be lazy. I always believe they are bunch of active beings. Encourage the timid (Children), don’t yell at the timid and weak; encourage and help them. At times it’s difficult to distinguish between idleness and timidity. Two people may be doing nothing—one out of laziness and the other out of shyness or fear of doing something wrong. The key to ministry is sensitivity: sensing the condition of each person and offering the appropriate remedy for each situation. You can’t effectively help until you know the problem. You can’t apply the medicine until you know where the wound is.
In 2 Timothy 4:2 we read, “Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.” Encouragement is not only some complimenting a child, but encouragement can also be done through good and creative teaching. Most of the child workers don’t adapt to creativity and follow old primitive methods. Children feel boredom attending school or Sunday school.
In Hebrews 10:24 we read, “Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.” Let the encouragement be an outburst of love, not just a responsibility, oh I am supposed to do this. Let it over flow of love and good deeds.
In Titus 2:6 & 15, the scripture says, “In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely in all they do.” ”You must teach these things and encourage your people to do them, correcting them when necessary. You have the authority to do this, so don’t let anyone ignore you or disregard what you say.”
Am I an encourager?
6. BE A RECOGNIZER & APPRECIATORRecognition and appreciation is something every human being longs for. Like wise the children too desire will there be anyone to recognize and appreciate them. Appreciate them publicly. Many leaders fail to recognize and appreciate the ones who are under them or under the care. I had couple of leaders walking upto me and asking, Prince we never knew you had these potentials. This was a remark they made after knowing me for few years. Is it fault of the leader or me?
It is very strange to quote this verse from Isaiah 1:3, but that’s what the scripture says, “Even the animals—the donkey and the ox—know their owner and appreciate his care, but not my people Israel. No matter what I do for them, they still do not understand.” When animals could appreciate their owner, why not as child workers appreciate the children under their care. Most of the time we behave like the people of Israel.
Recognize and appreciate for what they are? That will be a boast in their life to do things much better.
Am I recognizing my child’s potentials and appreciating?
7. DO NOT CONDEMNThe very nature of God can be understood in John 3:17 that, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” If God sent his son not to condemn, then why as children worker we condemn the children instead of saving them
In James 4:12 we read, “God alone, who made the law, can rightly judge among us. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to condemn your neighbor?” There is no right for us to condemn anyone.
Do I condemn?
8. DO NOT BOSS OVER
This is something all would love to do, boss over. In 1 Peter 5:3 the scriptures, it is clearly says “Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your good example”
Give the children freedom, do not dominate them. Let them have free will to make choices, only then they can know discern to chose right from wrong. Children should be allowed to make their own decisions and let not the child worker decide for the child.
Am I bossing over?
9. DO NOT AGGRAVATE
As Children workers, we should never ever aggravate, annoy, irritate, get on their nerve, pester, provoke and anger the children.
In Colossians 3:21 we read, “Fathers, don’t aggravate your children. If you do, they will become discouraged and quit trying.” Do not fan the flames of when children are feeling low and discouraged. The scriptures say, children will become discouraged and quit trying. It is not they can be discouraged or they many be discouraged but they will be discouraged.
Also in Ephesians 6:4 we read “And now a word to you fathers. Don’t make your children angry by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord.” Children must be handled with care. They need firm discipline administered in love. Don’t aggravate them by nagging, deriding, or destroying their self-respect so that they quit trying.
Am I getting on their nerves and making them angry?
10. DISCIPLINE OUT OF LOVE
Proverbs 13:24 says, “If you refuse to discipline your children, it proves you don’t love them; if you love your children, you will be prompt to discipline them.”
The purpose of discipline is to help children grow, not to annoy and provoke them to anger or discouragement. Child-care is not easy, it takes lots of patience to deal with children in a loving, Christ-honoring manner. But frustration and anger should not be causes for discipline. Instead, the Child worker should act in love, treating their children as Jesus treats the people he loves.
Sometimes when children misbehave, there always a tendency not to correct them, since a tag called “They are Children” is built. But the scripture is very specific that if there is refusal from the child worker to discipline, then it proves children are not loved.
Am I disciplining out of love or because of the responsibility?
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