If there’s one Scripture that sums up parenting it’s Deuteronomy 6. In ancient times, these verses would have been the first to be memorized in Jewish culture. It’s the oldest prayer in Judaism, said every morning and every night. In fact, a whole Christian family ministry movement surrounds these verses.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

I’ve heard these verses a million times; you probably have too. So sometimes it helps to look at them from a different perspective. Here’s a modern day take–through pictures.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Deuteronomy 6 love with all your heart
Love God with everything you’ve got!

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children

Impressions take time, repetition, and lots of patience.

Talk about them when you sit at home

Deuteronomy 6 frustrated with homework
When they’re frustrated with a writing assignment and just want to quit
Deuteronomy 6 video games
When the FIFA game is getting intensely competitive

when you walk along the road

Deuteronomy 6 grocery store
When you’re being silly at the grocery store
When they watch your response to a text you just got
Deuteronomy 6 dropping off at school
When they’re hesitant about their first day at a new school
Deuteronomy 6 fishing at the lake
When you’re hanging out at the lake

when you lie down

Deuteronomy 6 - laying in the leaves
When they’re laying in the leaves you told them to rake up
Deuteronomy 6 tucking into bed
When they’re begging for just a little more one-on-one time

when you get up

Deuteronomy 6
When they’re still sleepy-eyed and stretching
Deuteronomy 6 eating breakfast
When they’re fishing Cheerios out of their bowl at breakfast

Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframe of your houses and on your gates.

Bottomline: Do EVERYTHING you can EVERYWHERE you go to help your kids treasure God’s Word in their heart. Don’t wait for the perfect time. Just snatch EVERY chance you get to introduce your son or daughter to the Father who loves them.

Why?

Because a relationship with him matters more than anything else in the world.

All your time, repetition and patience will be worth it.

Just curious…is there a time and place you hadn’t thought of before that would be great for teaching your kids about who God is?

Photo credits: Bigstock, Providence Doucet and JESHOOTS.COM and Luke Porter and Michael Dziedzic on Unsplash

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