The Most Important Thing

If I teach my children to speak Spanish, French, Latin, Greek, and Japanese, but do not teach them to love God, I have nothing.

If they know how to tell time and have their times tables memorized, but do not know the God of time and all eternity, it profits me nothing.

If I teach them all about psychology, sociology, anthropology, and philosophy, but they do not love the LORD their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, I have gained nothing.

If they are well versed in William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Edgar Alan Poe, but do not delight in the Law of the LORD, their learning has come to nothing.

If they know about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Abraham Lincoln, but do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior and LORD, their knowledge is meaningless.

If they are champions at spelling bees, get perfect scores on their SATs, and get accepted into the best universities, but reject their Creator, I have accomplished nothing.

If they are successful beyond my wildest dreams, if they have huge paychecks, giant houses, and lavish lifestyles; If they gain the whole world, and yet lose their souls, I am an utter failure.

So now I see that reading, writing, and arithmetic are important, literature, languages, and history are all valuable, science and social studies have their place,

but if I my children do not become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, I have merely educated them.

I must do more than educate them…I must disciple them.

I must teach them to love the LORD.

“Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the law?”

And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’

This is the great and foremost commandment.

The second is like it,

‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’

On these two commandments depend the whole law and the prophets.”

Matthew 22:36-40 NASB

Tiana is blessed to be wife to Christopher and mother to three young children, plus one more being knit together in secret. She has a bachelor’s degree in Youth Ministry from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL, which she now “uses” as she brings up her children in the nurture and admonition of the LORD, through home education and discipleship. With God’s help, she is learning more about what it means to be a godly wife, mother, and homemaker each day. She lives in Wisconsin, but you can visit her on the web at God Made, Home Grown.

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