I recently discovered that my 3½ year old is pretty much capable of memorizing anything he hears a few times. He’s memorized the Lord’s Prayer, and I figured I would teach him the Ten Commandments next. Since the Biblical wording doesn’t make any sense to him, or to many adults I suppose, I reformulated them to his level. Here they are as I teach them to Spencer:
1. Always put God first.
2. Only worship God.
3. Honor God’s name.
4. Honor God’s day of rest.
5. Obey your father and mother.
6. Protect people.
7. Protect marriage.
8. Protect property.
9. Tell the truth.
10. Be content with what you have.
Since, in my experience, only a tiny minority of adults know all Ten Commandments and in order (though many claim to honor them as vital), perhaps this list will help you teach them to your own children…as well as to yourself.
TOD 12.17.07
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2 comments:
Excellent method of teaching the Big 10, but I have 2 concerns that maybe you or someone can shed light upon. 1. Obey your mother and father. What if your parents are abusive people and their directions are abusive as well? Should we still obey them?
2. Honor God's day of rest. What day is that? There seem to be many historical and religious differences as to what day the Sabbath truly is, do we really know for sure when that is?
BTW, don't forget to include the commandments Jesus gave: "Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." and "Love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus also said "No other commandment is greater than these."
1. “Obey your mother and father,” means to obey your mother and father. A child is expected to submit to the authority of his/her parents. It is not the child’s responsibility to judge the ‘rightness’ of parents’ direction and guidance. The only exception is if the parents have instructed the child to behave contrary to the Law of God, i.e. worship idols, engage in sexual immorality, break all of the other Commandments, etc. This is true when a wife is instructed to submit to her husband. She (in keeping with the Lord’s guidance) submits ‘as long as the behavior does not violate God’s law.’ The same is true when a person is instructed to submit to the direction of any authority figure in life. We see the same direction given throughout the Old and New Testaments. We are held responsible for our behavior and choices, not the choices and behaviors of others. I have personally seen God intervene, on behalf of believers, in the hearts of others.
2. ‘Honor God’s day of rest.’ God created heaven and earth in 6 days and on the 7th He rested. God values rest to the extent that a day is set aside for its specific purpose. It is in this rest that a relationship is built with Our Lord. A relationship can only be built if the two involved spend quality time together. I believe this is the point of God commanding us to set aside a day for Him, and in keeping with God’s interest in our health (physical, spiritual) also. We work 6 days and on the 7th, we rest (meditate, reserve ourselves for, build a relationship with and accept the peace) in Jesus. Pick a day, any day, for the purpose of building a relationship with Our Lord and rest in Him. Any day you pick is OK (it is not legalism). The point is to reserve a day of physical, personal and spiritual rest (and relationship) in Our Savior.
3. I believe ‘Love God with all your heart, mind and soul’ are taken care of in the 1st through 3rd Commandments and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ are taken care of in the 6th through the 8th Commandments. The other Commandments are pertinent to personal maturity.
Thanks, Andrew, for helping me 'use the brain God gave me,' think deeper and grow in Christian maturity.
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