Have you ever wished that when your children go off to school or college someday that you could go with them and coach them? Wouldn’t it be great if you could be right there with them as they go through their days, gently watching over them, giving them advice, and guiding them? I know that sounds pretty intrusive, but maybe you could turn invisible and just whisper in their ears now and then. If you could somehow remove the obnoxious part of it, wouldn’t you want the instructive part of it?

That is exactly the role that your teachings should take in your children’s lives:

Proverbs 6:20-23 My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. 21Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck. 22When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. 23For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life.

Did you catch that? If our kids lock into our teachings and hold them close to their hearts, those bits of instruction will guide them when they walk, watch over them when they sleep, and speak to them when they are awake. What we teach our kids will light their ways through life, and the times we’ve corrected them will bring them the good life.

What we instruct our kids in will have a profound impact on their lives if it is godly teaching, and if we can get them to grasp hold of it. The godly teaching part of it is pretty simple. Pass on to them everything written in Proverbs. It is a guide to godly living. It was inspired by God and written by the wisest man that has ever lived, so that should be a great start.

How do you get them to grab hold of it? Studies show that we only remember 10% of what we hear. Given that piece of information, you may want to start by teaching your kids ten times as much. Repeat simple truths that you want to ingrain in them again, and again, and again.

• You reap what you sow. (Galatians 6:7)
• Do to others what you would have them do to you. (Matthew 7:12)
• Use only speech that builds. (Ephesians 4:29)
• Work with all your heart. (Colossians 3:23)
• God always sees. (Job 34:21)

If you ingrain simple truths like these into your children and you maintain a loving and corrective atmosphere in your home, these teachings will continue to ring through their ears, and guide them for their entire lives.

With that hope and promise we build into the lives of our children.